Elizabeth Martin: The Year of Doubts
by Kris Pilar
Summary: After a long summer, Elizabeth is happy to begin school at Hogwarts again with her friends. As long as they manage to stay out of the trouble they found themselves in year before. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case as on Halloween, a message in red appears on the wall and Harry seems determined to know who's behind it.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer:** Anything you recognize belongs to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

_**Chapter One:**_

"Mum! There's a gnome under my bed!"

"And what do you expect me to do about it?"

"Get rid of it!"

"Your room has a window, just toss it out!"

"UGH! It just stole my _shoe_!"

Could the morning get any worse? Elizabeth Martin was perched on her bed, leaning over the edge of it to stare under it, her glasses slipped slightly on her face but not enough to blur her vision. Staring back at her under the bed with a mocking grin was a disgusting little garden gnome that had somehow gotten into the house. And it had one half of Elizabeth's favorite pair of shoes.

"Give that back," Elizabeth reached under the bed as car as she could, trying to get her shoe, "You disgusting little—OUCH! MUM! IT BIT ME!"

"Elizabeth Alexandra Martin, you are twelve years old!" Grace Martin's voice came from the other room, "You are perfectly capable of getting a single gnome out of your room!"

Elizabeth groaned, sitting up and straightening down her shirt. She hated gnomes. She jumped off her bed, still only wearing one shoe, and knelt on the floor, her skirt spilling around her legs as she reached her arm further under.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth's cat, a Siamese named Cream, had decided to come into Elizabeth's room at that time. Elizabeth's eyes widened as she saw Cream sniff, then go under the bed. A second later, the gnome took off from her bedroom with a scream, Elizabeth's shoe still in its hand, and Cream was close behind.

It was official. The day got worse.

"ELIZABETH!"

Elizabeth groaned and hurried—one-shoed—into the living room. The gnome disappeared under the couch, only to have Cream follow and the two appear on the other side, then repeating the process with the chairs. Elizabeth's mother was by the bookshelf, her brown hair in a tight braid. She had a book raised over her head in one hand with a death grip, but was also holding up the hems of her dress with her other hand, Apparently she was planning to either kick or smack the gnome if it came close.

"What am I supposed to do?" Elizabeth cried, "I can degnome a garden, but what do you do with one inside a house?"

"Catch it and toss it out!" Grace said, kicking at the gnome as it came by, sending it flying towards the other wall. Cream was right behind.

Elizabeth acted faster. She dashed over, snatching up the gnome, still dazed from her mother's kick. She rushed to the window, which was already open, and threw the thing as hard as she could before slamming the window shut.

It was only after she did, and she watched the gnome scamper away, that she realized it still had her shoe.

"Damn it," she whispered.

"Language, young lady," Grace said, smoothing down her skirt as she replaced the book on the shelf.

"That thing stole one of my shoes!"

"We'll get you another pair," Grace said, "Finish getting ready, okay? We're meeting Ginger at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch and robe shopping."

Elizabeth sighed, turning and hobbling back to her room, pulling off her shoe and dropping it in the trash bin. It was no good without its mate. She dug around, finding another pair under her bed and pulling them on instead before heading back into the living room. She looked towards the owl cage and realized why the window was open. Daisy had returned. The gnome must have sneaked in while Grace was letting Daisy in.

"Hey there, Daisy, anything for me today?" Elizabeth asked, coming over to the cage. She already knew there wasn't, though, or else she'd have seen the letter already. She wasn't so worried about letters from most of her friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who were in Gryffindor, and most of her fellow Housemates in Hufflepuff, especially Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot. She'd gotten plenty of letters from them and she'd sent some in return.

It was her third Gryffindor friend, Harry Potter, whom she was worried about. She'd sent a letter at least every week. She even sent him a birthday card and a box of cauldron cakes nearly two weeks before.

It worried her that Harry hadn't answered. Was it the Muggles he lived with? She knew his aunt, uncle, and cousin were very nasty people. Were they stopping his letters?

"I'm sure things are fine, Elizabeth," Grace said, "Come on, why don't we get things cleaned up? We have to leave soon if we want to be back before too late."

Elizabeth nodded, eager for a bit of time out of the house. She hadn't gotten to go anywhere all summer, really.

A few months before, at the end of Elizabeth's first year at Hogwarts, she'd gotten herself into quite a bit of trouble. She and her friends had found out that hidden within their school was the Philosopher's Stone, a magical stone that turned object into gold and extended life. They also suspected one of their teachers of wanting to steal it, so they went after the Stone to find it first. Elizabeth had ended up with a broken shoulder and being grounded for the entire summer. She at first thought her mother would let up after a few weeks, but it seemed Grace had no intentions of letting Elizabeth off the hook. The only reason she was being allowed to come on the shopping trip today is because her Aunt Ginger wasn't going to get another chance for a while, and Grace didn't want to leave Elizabeth at home alone.

Elizabeth had just finished getting all the cushions back on the couch, as her mother magically repaired the potted plants, when it was time to go. They used the Floo network to reach the Leaky Cauldron, and it didn't take long to find Aunt Ginger waiting in the pub.

Elizabeth loved her Aunt Ginger. She looked a lot like her older sister, the same brown hair, brown eyes, and narrow, freckly face. Aunt Ginger was incredibly fun-loving as well, always eager to help out and cheer others up.

"Great to see you again, Liz," Aunt Ginger said, hugging her and grinning brightly, "Grace finally decide you had enough punishment?"

"She's still grounded," Grace said, "Lewis just is at a friend's until this weekend, so there's no one home to watch her. Besides, I need to get her some new school robes."

Elizabeth blushed a little. She'd grown a little over the summer and her robes had gotten a bit short on her. Plus, she'd ruined one set during her late-night adventure that got her in trouble in the first place.

"And some new shoes," Elizabeth added, "A gnome stole one of mine."

Aunt Ginger laughed at that as they headed out into the busy street of Diagon Alley. This was one of Elizabeth's favorite places, enjoying the shops and busy streets. She loved the store displays, seeing people talking by shop windows...

They soon reached Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Grace informed Madam Malkin that they needed some new Hogwarts robes for Elizabeth, and Aunt Ginger said she'd like to be fitted for a new set of dress robes.

"Dress robes?" Grace asked, looking at her sister, "Whatever for?"

"Xavier is going to be taking me to a play tomorrow evening," Aunt Ginger said with a little grin.

Xavier Gretchen was Aunt Ginger's boyfriend. They had been dating since early in the year and Grace often commented that her sister was 'quite smitten' with the man. Elizabeth hadn't actually met him yet, but what she heard of him, he seemed like a great guy.

"Are the rumors true, Madam Malkin?" Grace asked a few minutes later, while the woman was taking Elizabeth's measurements, "Is Gilderoy Lockhart really doing a book signing here next week?"

Aunt Ginger groaned nearby.

"Oh hush, Ginger," Grace said, "Gilderoy Lockhart is a brilliant and talented wizard."

"He may be," Ginger said, "But he's also a self-centered, egotistical git."

"I think you're overreacting a bit—"

"I went to school with him, Grace! I spent seven years of Herbology around him, constantly drawing attention to himself..."

'_Sounds like Malfoy,'_ Elizabeth thought, unable to feel like she might not like Lockhart if she ever met him.

The two sisters continue to argue over whether or not Gilderoy Lockhart was a self-centered git the entire time they were at Madam Malkin's, and Grace never did get her answer over the rumors by the time they left. Elizabeth, staying quiet and listening, was quite sick about hearing about the man.

She found herself eager to sit down for lunch at a little café, not just because she was hungry. It was also because her mother and aunt finally stopped discussing Aunt Ginger's former classmate.

"So, when is Lewis returning?" Aunt Ginger asked as she sunk her fork into her salad.

"Saturday morning," Grace said, "He's going to the Quidditch match between Ballycastle Bats and the Montrose Magpies tomorrow, and then he'll be home the day after."

Elizabeth resisted the urge to groan in jealousy. The Montrose Magpies were her favorite Quidditch team, and she would have had the chance to go to the match herself. After all, the Diggorys had invited Grace and Elizabeth too—Grace was quite good friends with Mr. and Mrs. Diggory—but Elizabeth was 'banned from anything fun', as Lewis often teased her with, for the summer. Elizabeth hadn't minded her punishment too much so far. After all, she could still write her friends, curl up in her room to read, or fly her broom in the yard—just not off to the field she and her brother often raced in. No shopping trips in Diagon Alley with her aunt. No inviting a friend to stay, or going to another friend's to stay. Those were things that didn't quite bother Elizabeth that much. After all, there'd be other vacations. Other summer breaks to invite others over.

But getting to see the Montrose Magpies in a match against the Ballycastle Bats? The two had quite the rivalry and their matches were always, in Elizabeth's opinion, the best match of the season. Instead of being there, actually getting to see the match, she'd be sitting at home listening to it over the radio.

It was her own fault, of course. So she wasn't going to complain, as much as she hated it. There'd be other Quidditch matches, she'd tell herself. Just like there'd be other breaks from school. Other breaks to visit friends over for a week or two.

"I would come over to listen to the match," Ginger said with a grin, "But that's when Xavier and I are going to the theater."

"Do you know what you're going to see?" Grace asked.

"No, Xavier said he was going to let it be a surprise."

"He must seem pretty confident if he's not asking your help to plan the dates anymore," Grace said.

"Oh, things are going wonderfully," Aunt Ginger said with a grin, "Sure, we have ups and downs like any couple, but right now things couldn't be better."

"Will Lewis and I get to meet him?" Elizabeth asked.

"Hopefully before you go back to Hogwarts," Aunt Ginger said, "I've talked to him about it. He really does want to meet you."

"I've already met him, and he really is a nice guy, Elizabeth," Grace said, "I'm sure you and Lewis will both like him."

Elizabeth nodded, quite sure her mother was right as she looked to watch people walking the streets as she ate her lunch.


	2. Chapter Two

_**Chapter Two:**_

The following day started off much better than the gnome fiasco of the day before. When Elizabeth got dressed, wearing her new shoes, and went into the living room, there were three letters waiting for her. She rushed over, hoping to see Harry's handwriting on one. Every time she got mail, she had that fleeting hope that Harry finally wrote...

Like every time before, however, Elizabeth's hope was replaced with disappointment. One was from Ron, one from Hermione...and the final was her school supply list.

Elizabeth sighed, heading on into the kitchen with the letters and sitting down.

"School list," she said dully, opening the letter.

"Everything okay, Elizabeth?" Grace asked, handing Elizabeth a plate of bacon and toast.

"I was hoping Harry finally wrote..." Elizabeth said slowly, looking over her list, her eyes widening, "Our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is mental...The entire Lockhart collection is on here!"

"I can understand why," Grace said, "I told you before, he's quite talented. He knows what he's doing."

Elizabeth sighed, moving on to the next letter, the one from Ron.

_Dear Elizabeth,_

_I'm sick of waiting around for word from Harry. Those Muggles he lives with have to have done something. Harry should have answered our letters by now. I'm going to go out there myself and break Harry out, whether the Muggles like it or not! I'll let you know how it goes._

_Wish me luck!_

_Ron_

Elizabeth looked at the date on the letter. About a week ago...Ron's owl, Errol, was very slow. She looked around, but didn't see him. Maybe he went on home on his own. She wondered how things went with Harry...Was he at Ron's place now? Hopefully he was. Elizabeth wanted to run to her room to write back and ask, but instead, she picked up Hermione's letter.

_Dear Elizabeth,_

_Have you gotten Ron's letter? He said he's going after Harry. I really hope he doesn't do anything dangerous or illegal. They could both get into so much trouble! I'm so worried about Harry. I hope he's okay._

_I've been busy with schoolwork, but my parents are going to take me to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Maybe we can meet up in Diagon Alley? I'm writing Ron to ask the same thing. It'll be nice if we can all meet up together._

_I hope you can make it. Lots of love from Hermione._

"Mum?" Elizabeth looked up at Grace, "Can we go to Diagon Alley Wednesday to do our shopping? Hermione's going to be there, and maybe Ron and Harry. Ron says he's going to be picking up Harry soon."

"This Wednesday?" Grace asked, looking up, "Yes, that'd work great. If it's true Gilderoy Lockhart will be there, maybe we can get a chance to see him."

Elizabeth pursed her lips, but didn't say anything. After all, if it meant she'd get a chance to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione before the school year started, she was eager to go for it.

"I'm going to let them know," Elizabeth said, finishing off her breakfast before heading to her room. She grabbed a couple pieces of parchment and wrote both Hermione and Ron, letting them both know she'd be in Diagon Alley on Wednesday and telling Ron she hoped Harry was there and everything was okay. She sent the letters off, then returned to the kitchen to help her mother clean.

**xxxxx**

Lewis returned the following morning. He seemed really eager to give them a play-by-play of the Quidditch match he saw—despite the fact that Grace and Elizabeth had listened to it on the radio. Elizabeth soon got tired of listening by the second time Lewis was recounting how the Magpie Seeker caught the Snitch within feet of where he was sitting in the stands. Jealous and annoyed, she made her way to her room, wanting to get away from hearing about the Quidditch match she didn't get to go to.

Elizabeth found herself staying in her room more often over the next few days. Lewis' excitement over his visit to Cedric's didn't seem to settle down. He was constantly talking about the Quidditch match, most of all.

She was quite happy when Wednesday finally came. Lewis was finally talking about school supplies over breakfast rather than the Quidditch match he'd gone to see.

"I need to restock on some potions supplies," he was saying, "And I need a new quill."

"We'll see what we can manage," Grace said, "We've got a bit of an expensive list this year."

Two full sets of Lockhart's books. Even though Healers were paid pretty well, Grace was still the sole income on the family. There was quite a lot to get, as Elizabeth already had gotten new robes and she needed to restock on parchment, ink, and quills herself. The gold only went so far. Second-hand books worked just as well, as long as you didn't mind someone else's notes written in it.

So after breakfast, the three of them used the Floo network to reach Diagon Alley, then on to Gringotts to get money from their vault. Elizabeth, who didn't like the closed spaces of the carts and underground ride, stayed waiting outside with her brother.

"I take it after months home not getting to do anything, you're going to keep your nose out of trouble this year?" Lewis asked with a teasing smirk.

Elizabeth felt her face grow warm. She knew her brother was just teasing her, having a little fun. But after him constantly going on about the Quidditch match, the question annoyed her more than it should have.

"I don't plan to go looking for trouble," she said sharply.

"Wow, you're moody today."

Elizabeth just rolled her eyes, then started grinning brightly as she noticed a familiar bushy-haired girl. Hermione Granger, one of her best friends, was coming up the street with two people that Elizabeth guessed were her parents.

"Hermione! Hi!" Elizabeth waved, taking the steps down two at a time to rush over to her friend.

"Elizabeth! You made it!" Hermione said with a grin, "Oh, these are my parents. Mum, Dad, this is Elizabeth."

"We've heard so much about you," Mr. Granger said, holding a hand out, which Elizabeth shook.

"I see Harry, too!" Hermione suddenly said, "And Hagrid!"

Elizabeth turned, grinning brightly as she noticed the boy with black hair and glasses, coming over with the giant man with wildly untamable hair and beard. Elizabeth immediately ran to them, stopping short when she noticed Harry's appearance. His clothes were dirty and he was holding up his glasses, as they were broken in the middle.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked, "Why are you so dirty? What happened to your glasses? Why haven't you been answering my letters? Was it those Muggles you live with? Did they do something?"

"Good to see you too, Elizabeth," Harry said a bit awkwardly, as if unsure how to respond to all her questions at once.

"It really is wonderful to see you again," Hermione said, "You too, Hagrid. Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry?"

"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," Harry said.

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said. Elizabeth looked over to see a group of red-heads coming, her third friend, Ron, among them with his older brothers, Fred and George, and a third that Elizabeth thought Ron said was named Percy. Following them was a man that Elizabeth was sure was Mr. Weasley.

"Hey, Fred, George," Lewis said from the stairs nearby, waving to them. Elizabeth looked to him as the twins returned the greeting, and it took her a moment to remember that Lewis was in the same year as Fred and George.

"We'd hoped you'd only gone one grate too far," Mr. Weasley was saying to Harry, "Molly's frantic—she's coming now—"

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley," Harry replied.

"_What_?" Elizabeth squeaked at the same time Fred and George went "_Excellent_!"

"We've never been allowed in," Ron said with an envious groan.

"I should ruddy well think not," Hagrid said sharply and Elizabeth agreed. Elizabeth had never been to Knockturn Alley, but she knew the rumors. Knockturn Alley was a place full of shops with Dark origins. Cursed objects, Dark artifacts, poisons, anything that a respectable witch or wizard didn't want to be associated with.

A short, plump red-haired woman came rushing up, along with a girl with red hair herself, looking not much younger than Elizabeth. Elizabeth guessed this was Mrs. Weasley and Ron's younger sister, Ginny.

Mrs. Weasley immediately started fretting over Harry, repairing his glasses and dusting the soot from his clothes. Harry kept looking more and more embarrassed, while Hagrid said he should head off. Elizabeth waved after him before turning back to the others, who were starting up into Gringotts and she followed along behind with Lewis.

"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry asked, now that he was free of Mrs. Weasley's fretting, "Malfoy and his father."

'_That's not surprising,'_ Elizabeth thought. She was quite sure the Malfoys were regular visitors of Knockturn Alley.

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" Mr. Weasley asked. Elizabeth jumped a little, looking over her shoulder. She hadn't realized he was behind her.

"No, he was selling—"

"So he's worried," Mr. Weasley said, "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something..."

"You be careful, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley said in a tone that reminded Elizabeth of her own mother when she was in trouble, "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew—"

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" Mr. Weasley asked, though once he caught sight of Hermione's parents nearby, he seemed to forget about Malfoy and his father. Instead, he was rushing to them to introduce himself, insisting they have a drink, before Mrs. Weasley pulled him away. Harry and the Weasley siblings headed off to get money from their own vaults. From what Ron had told her, Mr. Weasley was obsessed with Muggles.

"Elizabeth, Lewis, weren't you waiting outside?"

Elizabeth looked up to see her mother had returned, a bag of coins in her hand.

"My friends arrived," Elizabeth said, motioning to Hermione, "Harry and Ron just went down to the vaults. When they're back, can I go shopping with them for a while? I promise I'll behave."

Hermione introduced herself with a smile and Grace nodded with her own smile. Then, she looked over at Elizabeth, and she wondered if her mother was still thinking about the trouble Elizabeth got into with her friends at the end of her last year. Elizabeth was suddenly afraid her mother would say no.

"Okay," she said instead, much to Elizabeth's relief, "But meet me at Flourish and Blotts in an hour. Come on, Lewis."

"See you later, Liz," Lewis said, heading out of Gringotts with Grace.

"I can understand why your mother's worried," Hermione said, "After what happened a few months ago."

"I'm just surprised she's letting me go shopping with you," Elizabeth said, "She's been keeping me from anything that had me off on my own since I came home."

"Maybe she thinks you've learned your lesson."

"I definitely have," Elizabeth said, "If any trouble starts up this year, we're leaving it to the teachers. No matter what."

"I couldn't agree more," Hermione said.


	3. Chapter Three

_**Chapter Three:**_

Elizabeth always loved window shopping, almost as much as shopping itself. She walked along the street of Diagon Alley with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, stopping by shops just to look. Though Harry did buy them all an ice cream to enjoy as they went.

Elizabeth's favorite place was the sweets shop. Even though she had to resist the urge to buy anything. She needed to save her coins for the Hogwarts Express. And equally tempting shop to spend gold in was Quality Quidditch Supplies, where Elizabeth found a Montrose Magpies bag that could work well for her school supplies. Maybe she could hint to her mother that she'd like it for Christmas...

While they walked along, Elizabeth and Hermione began asking Harry what had happened over the summer and why he hadn't been answering their letters.

"I couldn't write you because my aunt and uncle kept Hedwig locked in a cage," Harry said, "But until my birthday, I thought none of you had been writing me. This house elf, Dobby, was intercepting my letters—"

"A house elf?" Elizabeth asked, "But they're supposed to be bound to certain families. I've never heard of one actually leaving the house itself, unless to a family member in a different house."

"Harry and I talked about it," Ron said, "We think it belonged to Malfoy. Maybe he ordered Dobby to stop Harry's letters."

"And try to get me expelled," Harry said, "Dobby said that I couldn't go back to Hogwarts, that 'something bad would happen'. We think he was making it up, that Malfoy told him to. Dobby ended up making a pudding that my aunt had made for a dinner party float, then crashed it to the floor. I got a letter from the Ministry warning me about underage magic—"

"That's the Trace," Elizabeth said with a sigh, "They could tell magic was preformed there, and since you're the only wizard in that house, they assumed it was you."

"Do you realize you sound like Hermione sometimes?" Ron asked. Elizabeth and Hermione both glared at him.

"Anyway," Harry went on, glancing between them, "My aunt and uncle found out I can't use magic outside of school. They locked me in my room, put bars over the windows—"

"They _what_?" Elizabeth asked, horrified, "They could just get away with that?"

"It doesn't matter now," Harry said with a shrug, "Ron showed up about a week ago, with Fred and George in Mr. Weasley's flying car—"

"That's illegal!" Elizabeth turned to Ron, "I mean, we have magically enhanced cars and all, but one that _flies_?"

"Dad thinks Muggles are fascinating," Ron said, turning a bit pink.

"But a flying car!" Hermione spoke up now, "Do you realize how much trouble you could have been in? What would have happened if you were seen?"

"We weren't," Ron said, as if that was all that mattered. Elizabeth wanted to argue the point, but Harry spoke up again.

"They got me away from the Dursleys, that's all I care about," he said, "I've been at the Burrow since."

"Well, at least you're okay," Elizabeth said slowly. They hadn't gotten into trouble, that was the good thing.

Eventually, they had to make their way to Flourish and Blotts. Elizabeth wasn't at all looking forward to this. She knew the rumors of Gilderoy Lockhart coming. Rumors that were confirmed as they reached the shop, which had an unusually large crowd outside. Most of whom, Elizabeth noticed, were women her mother's age. Hanging on a banner by the door was a message announcing Gilderoy Lockhart's visit.

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione said excitedly, "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

Elizabeth only groaned. The stories she'd heard from her aunt, she didn't really want to meet Lockhart. After all, a man vain enough that he engraved his own name into the Quidditch pitch at school was someone who didn't deserve any attention.

The four managed to get into the door, however, and grabbed copies of _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_. They made their way to where Grace was chatting with Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger. Lewis was next to them, holding a pile of Lockhart's books in his arms. Elizabeth noticed her mother had a set of books already for her as well.

"Good, you're just in time," Grace said when she noticed Elizabeth, grinning at her, "We're almost at the table."

Lewis rolled his eyes and when Elizabeth caught his eye, she couldn't help but give him a look of agreement. They could both do without meeting Lockhart.

Unfortunately, they had to look at Gilderoy Lockhart before even reaching the table. Large, moving pictures of the blond man with a far-too-big smile were set up around the store. The man looked just as self-centered in real life, when the group was finally close enough to see him at the table.

"Out of the way, there," a photographer pushed by, "This is for the _Daily Prophet_—"

"Big deal," Ron said sarcastically.

Lockhart looked up at that, obviously hearing him. Though he seemed distracted almost instantly at the sight of Harry.

"It _can't_ be Harry Potter?"

Elizabeth barely had time to turn before Lockhart had dashed around the table and grabbed Harry by the arm, pulling him over. The photographer started clicking so many photos that Elizabeth coughed, waving her hand to try and clear away the smoke. When it finally cleared, she noticed Harry looking extremely uncomfortable, his face red, as Lockhart had his arm around the boy's shoulders. Elizabeth didn't blame him. She'd learned over the last year how uncomfortable Harry was with attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lockhart said, addressing the crowd with a grin, "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!"

Elizabeth glanced at her friends. Hermione looked excited, taking in every word. Ron was staring boredly at the ceiling. Lewis was fiddling with the loose cover of one of his books. Elizabeth couldn't help but be on the lines of Ron and Lewis. Broken books and plain ceilings would be much more interesting than whatever Lockhart had to say.

"When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today," Lockhart said, "He only wanted to buy my autobiography—which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge—" (Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She was quite sure Harry wanted nothing to do with the book.) "He had _no idea_ that he would shouldn't be getting much, much more than my book, _Magical Me_. He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have the great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

Elizabeth and Lewis both groaned loudly as the crowd around them burst into applause.

"Do you here that, kids?" Grace asked, grinning at them, "You'll get the man himself teaching you everything he knows!"

'_I can't wait,'_ Elizabeth thought bitterly. She'd been hoping this trip would be show up and be done. Not find out she was going to have to deal with him at school. She already had one self-centered, egotistical git in her life. She didn't need another.

"You can have these," Harry said nearby. Elizabeth turned to see Harry had finally came free of Lockhart and was dumping an entire set of Lockhart's books into Ginny's cauldron, "I'll buy my own—"

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?"

'_Speaking of the self-centered gits,'_ Elizabeth thought, turning to see Draco Malfoy had shown up. Elizabeth had hoped they'd be able to get through their shopping without having to deal with him.

"_Famous_ Harry Potter," Malfoy said with a sneer, "Can't even go into a _bookshop_ without making the front page."

"Shove off, Malfoy," Elizabeth said sharply.

"He didn't want any of that!" Ginny said and Elizabeth glanced at her, realizing it was the first time she'd heard Ginny speak.

"Adding to your fan club, Potter?" Malfoy asked and Ginny went nearly as red as her hair. Elizabeth glared at Malfoy as Hermione and Ron came over, carrying armloads of books.

"Oh, it's you," Ron said distastefully, "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," Malfoy shot back, "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."

Ron dropped his books and started forward. Elizabeth and Harry barely had time to act, each grabbing one of Ron's arms to hold him back. The last thing they needed was Ron starting a fight in the middle of a public shop.

"Ron!" Mr. Weasley was coming over now with Fred and George, much to Elizabeth's relief. At east an adult would get things under control again.

"What are you doing?" Mr. Weasley asked, "Come on, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well—Arthur Weasley."

Someone tall and blond had come over, and Elizabeth could tell instantly this was Mr. Malfoy. He looked so much like his son, there was no mistaking it.

"Lucius," Mr. Weasley said in a cool tone.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," Mr. Malfoy said, "All those raids...I hope they're paying you overtime?"

Elizabeth watched, quite annoyed, as Mr. Malfoy didn't touch a single of the new books that Harry had given Ginny. Instead, he pulled out the oldest book of the bunch, one that looked like it was ready to fall apart.

"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said, "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," Mr. Weasley said, his voice almost hostile.

"Clearly," Mr. Malfoy looked past them and Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to see the Grangers nearby, "The company you keep, Weasley...And I thought your family could sink no lower—"

It all happened so fast Elizabeth didn't even know Mr. Weasley had moved until books were crashing to the ground. Elizabeth stared, horrified, as Mr. Weasley attacked Mr. Malfoy, cheered on by his sons as Mrs. Weasley rushed forward.

She didn't know what to think. Grown men, fighting in a public store...Mr. Weasley wasn't even her father and she was embarrassed. What was Mr. Weasley thinking?

Books were scattered around the floor and the bookshop owner was trying to stop the fight, though little helped until Hagrid had come in. Elizabeth had been so focused on the fight, she hadn't even seen him come in until he pulled Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley away from each other. Both men looked worse for wear.

"Here girl—take your book," Mr. Malfoy snapped, tossing Ginny's old book back in her cauldron, "It's the best your father can give you—"

Mr. Malfoy yanked himself away from Hagrid's grip and led his son out of the shop. Elizabeth glared after them before turning to see her mother had come over as well, Lewis right behind.

"Honestly!" she said, "Come on, Elizabeth, we should get going."

Mrs. Weasley was nearby, fussing over her husband because of the fight, complaining about what Lockhart had to think. Elizabeth turned to Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

"I'll see you on the train," she said, "Sorry, I need to get going."

She turned and followed her mother and brother from the shop.

"Honestly," Grace said again, shaking her head, "Fighting in a store! I always heard that Arthur Weasley was a bit off, a bit obsessed with Muggles and always tinkering, but _fighting_? And with _Lucius Malfoy_, of all people? Sure, the Malfoys aren't always popular, but they have influence. They can cause problems. What in the world was Weasley thinking?"

Elizabeth glanced at her brother as they walked along, and her mother continued her criticizing all the way back to the Leaky Cauldron. They knew better than to say anything when her mother was like this. Better to just let her rant and move on.

Besides, Elizabeth just wanted to get home. Forget all of this had happened and move on. Get ready to return to Hogwarts for her second year.


	4. Chapter Four

_**Chapter Four:**_

Platform 9 3/4 was as busy as usual when Elizabeth arrived with her brother and mother. Elizabeth found herself looking around for any sign of her friends. Not just Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But her friends from her House, Hufflepuff, as well. Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott especially, though Elizabeth was quite friendly with all those in her year in Hufflepuff.

"Now, promise me you'll behave this year?" Grace asked as they got their trunks onto the train and Elizabeth had come back to say goodbyes.

"Mum, I learned my lesson last year," Elizabeth said, "I'm going to keep my nose out of others' businesses. I'll focus on school, and that's it."

'_Besides,' _she thought, _'What are the chances that something would happen two years in a row?'_

"Just _stay out of trouble_," Grace said again, "I don't want to get another letter about you sneaking out after hours, trying to fight teachers..."

"Mum, I'll be fine, I promise I'm not going to cause trouble," Elizabeth said as the whistle blew overhead.

"I'll make sure she behaves," Lewis said, leaning out the window nearby, "We'll see you at Christmas, Mum!"

"I expect you both home!" Grace called as the train started moving, "And stay out of trouble!"

Elizabeth resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she waved at her mother, before the platform disappeared as the Hogwarts Express went around a corner.

"I'm going to find my friends," Elizabeth said, starting off down the train, her cat carrier in one hand and dragging her trunk with the other. She kept checking the compartments as she went by, but never saw any sign of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She spotted Ginny sitting with Fred and George and waved to them as she passed by.

As she spotted people she knew, Elizabeth would stop to say hi or ask how their summer was. She'd just heading back out after a stop at a compartment where Hannah and Susan were sitting with Ernie Macmillan, when she heard Hermione calling her name. Elizabeth looked up to see Hermione coming down along the train, looking worried.

"I haven't been able to find Harry and Ron at all," she said, "I've gone up and down the train twice now, but I just can't find them!"

"What?" Elizabeth asked, her voice squeaking slightly, "I...I haven't seen them so far on the train, but I figured I just hadn't reached the right compartment..."

"You don't think something's happened to them?" Hermione asked, taking Elizabeth by the arm, "Come on, let's get your trunk and cat put away, then we can look again..."

Elizabeth followed Hermione down the train to an empty compartment, where they got Elizabeth's trunk away and she let Cream out of the carrier. They were about to head back out and look for Harry and Ron again when they heard a muffled voice from in the compartment.

"That sounded like Harry..." Hermione said, looking around in confusion.

"Yeah, but wh—" Elizabeth cut off as she saw her trunk, "The mirror!"

She rushed over to her trunk and pulled out a small two-way mirror. It was quite old, only had the range of about a mile, and the charm was stuck to always show the other mirror's view. But Elizabeth had gotten the pair the last year over Christmas holidays, thinking they'd work well while at Hogwarts. She had this one, Harry had the other.

Elizabeth sat down, Hermione right next to her, as she looked at the glass, seeing Harry's face staring back at her. She couldn't tell much from the background around him—it almost looked like a car?

"Harry? Where are you?" Elizabeth asked as Hermione leaned closer to look better at the window, "We've been looking all over the train for you!"

"We're er...Not exactly on the train," Harry said, looking off to the side.

"We?" Hermione echoed, "Is Ron there with you?"

"What do you mean you're not on the train?" Elizabeth asked, "You have to be close. The range of these mirrors..."

"Yeah, we're somewhere above the train," Harry said, leaning to the side, and then back to the mirror, "We can see it below is, we're hoping to just follow it—"

"Are you in that flying car?" Hermione cried, "Please tell me Mr. Weasley is driving you!"

"Er, not exactly..." Harry said and he turned the mirror. Suddenly, Elizabeth was seeing Ron on the glass, his hands gripped around the steering wheel of a car. He looked to the mirror and grinned before turning back in front of him, and Harry turned the mirror back to himself.

"What are you _thinking_?!" Elizabeth squeaked.

"What if you two get _seen_?" Hermione asked, her own voice rising, "What if you _crash_?"

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Ron said from out of view.

"We'll be fine," Harry said, "We're following the train, we'll hopefully get to Hogwarts about the same time you do. No one will even realize we weren't on the train."

"Why aren't you on the train? What happened?" Hermione asked.

"The barrier wouldn't work," Harry said, "We couldn't get through—"

"But that's not possible!" Elizabeth said, "The barrier's never sealed!"

"Well, this time it was," Ron said from out of view.

"We didn't really have a choice," Harry added, "We had to take the car. How else would we get to school?"

"But—"

"We're fine," Harry said with a grin, though Elizabeth barely heard him. The image on the mirror was starting to fade and blur. Harry and Ron must be out of range He kept saying something, but Elizabeth didn't hear what it was as the image went black.

"Oh, I hope they're okay..." Hermione said, staring at the black glass in Elizabeth's hands.

"I'm sure they are," Elizabeth said weakly, "They've probably just flown up too high. The mirrors don't have much range."

Elizabeth was still worried, however. She and Hermione didn't talk much the rest of the train ride and Elizabeth kept her gaze on the mirror. Every now and then, Ron and Harry seemed to get low enough that Harry's face came back into view, but it was barely long enough for them to assure the girls that they were still okay before the image faded out again. When the trolley came, offering sweets, neither Hermione nor Elizabeth bought any. Both were too worried to eat.

"Do you think we should let Ron's siblings know?" Hermione asked as the sun was starting to set, and they were beginning to lose their views out the window to darkness, "Percy, Fred and George, and Ginny?"

"I don't know..." Elizabeth said slowly, staring down at the mirror in her hands, "I mean, if they're going to get to Hogwarts without anyone knowing they weren't on the train, maybe we shouldn't say anything...I mean, no need to worry them, right?"

"I guess you're right," Hermione said with a sigh, "I just wish they were actually here—"

"If it isn't Granger and Martin."

Elizabeth groaned and looked up to see Malfoy standing in the compartment door, with his to lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle, on either side of him. This was the last thing Elizabeth needed, especially when Harry and Ron weren't around. Malfoy was going to know something was up.

"Why aren't you two with Potter?" Malfoy asked with a smirk, "Don't you two usually follow him around everywhere? Do whatever he says?"

"We're not mindless lackeys like your two 'friends'," Hermione snapped, "Harry and Ron are actually our friends."

Crabbe and Goyle looked confused at that and Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder if they were even smart enough to know what they were saying.

"If you're such good friends," Malfoy said, as if Hermione hadn't just insulted them, "Then where are Potter and Weasley now? Finally decided you weren't worth their time?"

"It's none of your concern where they are," Elizabeth said, sounding braver than she felt. She didn't like confrontation like this, but she her dislike of Malfoy was much stronger.

"He's not even on the train, is he?" Malfoy asked, his face lighting up as if it were Christmas.

"Of course he's on the train!" Elizabeth was on her feet, "He just..."

Elizabeth glanced to Hermione. She was much better at this than Elizabeth was...

"He's not on the train!" Malfoy said excitedly, "The famous Harry Potter isn't even on the train to school!"

"Shove off, Malfoy!" Elizabeth said, shoving the door shut in the boy's face before turning around, sitting back down next to Hermione. She could hear Malfoy laughing in the corridor, though, and felt her face flushing slightly.

"Oh, I can't stand him!" Hermione said, shaking in anger.

"I'm just glad I don't share any classes with the Slytherins," Elizabeth said, glaring to the door.

"You're lucky. We had to take Potions with him last year. I hope we don't have to this year..."

"I just hope we'll share a class again," Elizabeth said. After all, she was a Hufflepuff while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all Gryffindors. The previous year, they'd shared Herbology together, and Elizabeth hoped they'd share a class again this year. She'd even be fine if they shared Potions. At least they'd be going in together when dealing with their least-favorite teacher, Professor Snape.

The announcement came through the train that they'd be arriving soon, so Elizabeth and Hermione pulled on their robes and Elizabeth got Cream in the cat carrier. When the train game to a stop, Elizabeth followed Hermione off to the small platform. Elizabeth found herself looking up, wondering if Harry and Ron had made it to Hogwarts yet...

"Come on, Elizabeth," Hermione said, "We need to get going."

Elizabeth nodded, following the crowd of students off the platform. She heard their friend Hagrid calling for first years—and noticed Ginny with her red hair among the crowd. She turned away, following the rest to a long line of carriages. None of them had any sort of creature pulling them, yet they all seemed to move on their own. Elizabeth noticed Malfoy looking over at them, and he seemed to be laughing as he realized Harry and Ron still weren't with them. Elizabeth tried to ignore it as she climbed into a carriage with Hermione, sharing the carriage with Susan, Hannah, and Ernie.

"Where's Harry?" Ernie asked, "And that other guy you're always with?"

"They're...in another carriage," Hermione said a bit awkwardly, looking out the window. Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

The ride up to the castle was awkward and quiet. Elizabeth could feel her fellow Hufflepuffs watching her, and she was sure they were wondering where Harry and Ron were. After all, when Elizabeth had stopped by their compartment, she had told them she was heading on to sit with Hermione and the boys. They probably had expected Elizabeth to ride with them up to the castle, since she'd have to separate to the Hufflepuff table for the feast.

When they reached the castle, Elizabeth told Hermione she'd see her tomorrow, then followed her fellow Hufflepuffs to their table.

"So where's Harry really?" Susan asked in a whisper, leaning closer, "I don't see him at all at the Gryffindor table. What happened?"

"I..." Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder. Neither Harry nor Ron were over at the Gryffindor table, "They'll show up soon."

Elizabeth couldn't help but have a sinking feeling, however. Had something happened with Harry and Ron? What if they'd been seen? Or crashed? Elizabeth wished she had her mirror still, but she'd put it away in her trunk when they'd arrived at Hogwarts.

No one had a chance to ask anything else, as Professor McGonagall—a stern-looking dark-haired woman who taught them Transfiguration—had come into the Great Hall, leading a group of first years. Elizabeth saw Ginny among the group and gave her a friendly wave, which Ginny didn't seem to return. She looked almost terrified, much like many of her classmates. There were a few who looked beside themselves with excitement, some who looked like they felt they ruled the school, and one blond-haired girl who seemed to act as if she were completely unaware of her surroundings.

Professor McGonagall began the Sorting, but Elizabeth didn't pay much attention. She kept glancing towards the Great Hall doors, which were still standing open, for any sign of Harry and Ron. Maybe they were late arriving. Maybe they'd show up any moment...

"Where's Professor Snape going?" Hannah asked as Creevey, Colin became a Gryffindor. Elizabeth looked up just in time for him to see her Potions professor disappearing out a door near the staff table. Elizabeth's sinking feeling in her stomach suddenly turned to sickening knots. This couldn't be good...

"I don't know..." Elizabeth said, hoping this had nothing to do with Harry and Ron.

Elizabeth kept watching the staff table and the Great Hall doorways, looking for any sign of Snape, or her friends. It was a few minutes later—as Lovegood, Luna became a Ravenclaw—that Elizabeth saw Snape again and her sickening feeling worsened. Harry and Ron were with him, walking past the doors and towards the dungeons.

"Was that Harry Potter?" a third year Hufflepuff nearby asked.

"Why was he outside?" Ernie asked.

Elizabeth shifted a little uncomfortably and the others looked over at her. She felt heat rise to her face. They knew she knew something, and she doubted they'd leave her alone about it.

"After the Sorting," she whispered as she clapped when Smith, Zacharias joined their House.

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to the Gryffindor table next to hers, and saw Hermione's eyes wide with horror. It was clear she'd seen Harry and Ron as well. Elizabeth swallowed hard, reaching up and tugging down a bit on her hat as she tried to concentrate on the Sorting, as the line got smaller and smaller until Ginny Weasley was the last to be Sorted, soon joining the Gryffindor table.

'_Ron'll be happy about that,'_ Elizabeth thought, though it just reminded her that her friends were in trouble.

Snape had returned from wherever he'd gone, but he was alone. Elizabeth watched as he went over to Professor McGonagall and whispered something to her, before leading her from the room. Elizabeth didn't think Harry and Ron were any safer in their Transfiguration teacher's hands. She was head of the Gryffindor House, but unlike Snape, who headed Slytherin, Professor McGonagall didn't play favorites. She was an incredibly strict woman. After all, she took a hundred and fifty points from her own house just because a few students had been out of their common room after hours. Flying a car to school, Harry and Ron were surely going to be expelled...

"Welcome students," Professor Dumbledore—Hogwarts Headmaster—had stood up now, staring around though his small glasses and smiling through his long, silver beard, "I'm sure everyone here is quite hungry and eager for a good meal. Dig in!"

Food began magically appearing on the table in front of them and Elizabeth noticed Dumbledore leaving the Great Hall now. Elizabeth didn't get a chance to dwell on it because the third year who spoke up earlier was asking her about Harry again. Elizabeth looked up—then suddenly seemed to forget what she was about to say. The boy a few seats away from her, watching her curiously for news, was quite cute...He had blond hair falling in his face and dark blue eyes and the sort of smile that made heat rush to Elizabeth's face.

"Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth gave a small squeak as she jumped, turning to see her fellow second-years watching her. She felt herself blushing even more as she remembered Harry and Ron in trouble and scolded herself for getting distracted from her worrying. What was looking at a cute boy compared to her friends probably about to be expelled?

She tried not to look back over at the cute blond nearby as she leaned forward, explaining in a whisper about Harry and Ron and the flying car. She knew she wasn't going to be left alone until she said something, and she was never a good liar. So instead, she went for the truth. She told them how Harry and Ron couldn't get through the platform and they used a flying car—she didn't mention the car belonged to the Weasleys—to get to Hogwarts.

"Wicked!" the cute blond said with a grin, "Imagine showing up in a flying car!"

"But they were with Professor Snape," Hannah said worriedly, "What if they're expelled?"

"Come on, they wouldn't expel Harry Potter," Ernie said confidently.

"But what about Ron?" Elizabeth asked. She looked up to see Dumbledore and Snape had returned and Snape was looking furious. Elizabeth couldn't help but feel relieved at that. If Snape was furious, it meant Harry and Ron weren't expelled. She grinned to herself, finally deciding to help herself to food. Her appetite had suddenly returned, though by now the food had been replaced with desserts. Eggs and bacon for breakfast, then pudding and ice cream for dinner. Not exactly healthy. She'd have to make sure to eat something more filling for breakfast before classes.

As Elizabeth ate her sweet dinner, she paid more attention to the conversations around her. Susan and Hannah were talking about their summers. Ernie was talking about his favorite classes and how he couldn't wait to get back to lessons. Elizabeth found herself constantly glancing to the cute boy nearby, just getting glimpses from the corner of her eye. He was talking with the boy next to him—another third year. Though any time Elizabeth so much as thought they were going to look over, she'd duck her head again. She didn't need some third year catching her staring...No matter how cute he was...

Soon, the desserts vanished from the table and Elizabeth looked up as Dumbledore rose to his feet again.

"Welcome, students, to another year at Hogwarts!" he said, "I know you are probably all very ready for a good night's rest before your lessons tomorrow, but I have a few start of terms announcements.

"First, I'd like to welcome Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, who will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Lockhart rose to his feet and gave a sweeping bow, grinning far too brightly as students clapped. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, only clapping to be polite.

The rest of the announcements were similar to Elizabeth's first year. A reminder of the rules, items banned from Hogwarts, reminding students the Forbidden Forest was, well, forbidden. Once everything was done, they were sent off to bed Elizabeth saw Prefects herding up the first years, but she stood and followed the rest of her Housemates out of the Great Hall and into the basements, along a corridor of food still life paintings until they reached a crevice with large barrels. Someone a bit ahead of them tapped the correct barrel with the correct rhythm to reveal the earthy passage leading to the Hufflepuff common room filled with plants and comfortable, overstuffed chairs and couches arranged around the room, with a large fireplace engraved with badgers and a painting of Helga Hufflepuff holding a gold cup, again with badgers on it.

Elizabeth followed the girls over to the girls dormitory and saw that they were still directly across from the common room, though now the plaque on the door read SECOND YEARS. Elizabeth went in with Hannah, Susan, and Sally-Anne Perkins and Megan Jones. They all went to their separate beds, where Elizabeth changed into pajamas and curled up under the patchwork quilt. She reached up and scratched Cream behind the ears, where the cat was curled up by her pillow, and fell asleep within minutes.


	5. Chapter Five

_**Chapter Five:**_

Elizabeth was eager to get started on her classes. At least, all but Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts. She wasn't looking forward at all to how Snape would be after the previous night. Elizabeth was sure she'd probably be a target just for being Harry's friend. Then there was Defense Against the Dark Arts. It wasn't that she was bad at the subject—she always managed to get by with passing marks and wasn't the worst, but definitely wasn't the best—it was the fact she'd be taught by Gilderoy Lockhart. She wasn't looking forward to classes with him.

So Elizabeth went into breakfast, looking over to the Gryffindor table. Sure enough, Harry and Ron were still there, sitting across from Hermione. When they saw Elizabeth, they grinned and waved and she waved in return before going to the Hufflepuff table, sitting with Susan and Hannah.

"Looks like we might get some rain," Hannah said, looking to the ceiling. Elizabeth looked up as well and saw it reflecting the sky outside, a cloudy gray.

"Don't know, it might burn out," Elizabeth said, getting herself a bowl of porridge.

She'd just taken her first bite when she heard the sound of wings and looked up to see mail had arrived. Elizabeth saw it was mostly for first years, congratulations from their parents, or packages for students who had forgotten something at home. Susan had somehow forgotten her _Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_ and hadn't even known until she unwrapped the package from her mother.

"Oh, it would have been so embarrassing going into class without this," Susan said.

"_**RONALD WEASLEY!**_"

Elizabeth jumped, knocking over her bowl of porridge and spinning in her seat to the table behind her. Ron was staring horrified at a red envelope in front of him, where Mrs. Weasley's voice was echoing through the Great Hall. Ron had gotten a Howler.

"_**WHAT WERE YOU THINKING STEALING THAT CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE, WHAT WE THOUGHT WHEN WE GOT THE LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED, WE ARE ABOSLUTELY DISGUSTED—YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOUPUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME!**_"

There was a puff of smoke and Ron had sunk low enough to be nearly hidden under the table. Harry's gaze was locked on the table in front of him and both boys looked mortified. A few laughs echoed around the hall before conversations picked back up through the Great Hall.

"I didn't know letters could scream..." said Justin Finch-Fletchley nearby. He was a Muggle-born and Elizabeth had to remind herself they had much different things in their world than hers.

"It's called a Howler," Ernie said, "I just hope I never get one myself."

Professor Sprout, a plump woman who taught them Herbology, and was also head of the Hufflepuff House, had started along the table, handing out their schedules. Elizabeth took hers and studied it, finding she still shared Herbology with the Gryffindors—and it was her first class of the day. Following Herbology, she'd have Charms—her worst subject—and then Transfiguration after lunch. Much to Elizabeth's relief, she didn't have Defense Against the Dark Arts until the next day.

Elizabeth hurried back to her common room to grab her bag and books for the day, making sure her mirror was safe in a side pocket and wouldn't break, before hurrying down to Herbology with her fellow Hufflepuffs. They'd reached the greenhouses before the Gryffindors, though that wasn't unusual. After all, from what she knew from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the Gryffindor common rooms were up in a tower. Further from the entrance than the basement corridor the Hufflepuff common rooms were.

"What do you think we'll learn about today?" Hannah asked.

"Hopefully something exciting," Justine said nearby, "Do you think we'll still be in greenhouse one?"

"Most likely," Susan said, "We probably won't get to the more dangerous stuff until later—Oh look, here come the Gryffindors!"

Elizabeth looked up and saw the group of Gryffindor second-years making their way across the castle grounds, Harry, Ron, and Hermione among them. Elizabeth grinned and waved to them as they got closer. Elizabeth barely got a chance to tell them good morning when Professor Sprout came along, carrying an armload of bandages. And to Elizabeth's disappointment, Lockhart was with her. The two looked quite opposite each other, Professor Sprout being small with dirty robes from constantly working with plants, to Lockhart tall without a speck of dirt on his flamboyant robes.

"Oh, hello there!" Lockhart said brightly as he noticed the students gathered around the greenhouses, "Just showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels..."

'_But you don't have to show off about it,'_ Elizabeth thought, but instantly was distracted as Professor Sprout directed them to greenhouse three. Elizabeth got excited about that. Like Susan had said, she hadn't expected to deal with more dangerous plants at least until later in this year.

Professor Sprout unlocked the greenhouse and Elizabeth followed the others in, taking in the smell of damp earth and flowers, mixed with the slightly nauseating smell of fertilizer.

"You don't mind if he's a couple minutes later, do you, Professor Sprout?"

Elizabeth turned, just as she was putting down her bag at a tray with Hermione and Ron, to see Lockhart had blocked Harry from being able to enter the classroom. Harry looked as if he wished he could be anywhere else and Elizabeth couldn't blame him.

"Everyone settle down," Professor Sprout barked as whispers started up through the room. Elizabeth glanced at Hermione and Ron, both of whom looked confused about what Lockhart wanted with Harry.

"Ron," Elizabeth leaned forward, whispering, "Did you and Harry crash that car into the Whomping Willow? Do you realize how dangerous that tree is?"

"Yeah, we figured it out soon enough, thanks," Ron snapped. Elizabeth felt her face flush as she leaned back, busying herself with pulling out her copy of _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_.

"Silence everyone, settle down," Professor Sprout said again from where she was arranging earmuffs on a table in front of her.

Elizabeth looked up as the door opened and Harry hurried in, his face red and head down as he made his way to the table where Elizabeth, Hermione, and Ron were before he took his place quickly.

"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today," Professor Sprout said, "Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"

Hermione's hand shot quickly into the air and Elizabeth wasn't surprised. Even though she only had one class with Gryffindor, she knew Hermione was the best in their year and top of every class.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora," Hermione said, straightening herself some, "Is a powerful restorative. It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor. The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

Elizabeth had been jotting down notes and nearly lost her quill when Hermione's hand shot into the air again.

"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," Hermione said simply.

"Precisely," Professor Sprout said and Elizabeth gave the trays nearby a wary look. She knew they'd be dealing with more dangerous plants, but deadly ones? Sure, she'd handled Devil's Snare okay during their last school year, but she'd been panicked then.

"Now," Professor Sprout continued, "The Mandrakes we have here are still very young." She paused to point at the trays of potted plants with purple-green leaves, "Everyone take a pair of earmuffs."

There was a sudden rush forward to try and snag the black earmuffs. Unfortunately, Elizabeth was one of the few who was stuck with a pink and overly fluffy pair. She made a face as she hooked it around her neck, feeling her face flush slightly at Harry and Ron's smirks.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are _completely_ covered," Professor Sprout said, "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right—earmuffs _on_."

Elizabeth snapped the pink earmuffs over her ears and everything around her went quiet, more than anything Elizabeth had ever heard before. She'd always thought her bedroom was quiet at night, but it was nothing like this. In her room, she could still hear the noises of animals outside, or Cream moving around, or her soft purring...This was absolute nothingness. She couldn't even hear herself breathing. She didn't even realize before then that she even could hear herself breathe until it was suddenly gone.

Elizabeth watched as Professor Sprout gripped the leaves sticking out of the dirt and gave it a hard pull, yanking out what looked like some disturbing cross in an under-ripe potato and a human baby, the leaves where hair should have been. Its mouth was hanging open and its eyes squeezed shut in a scream that no one could hear through the earmuffs. Professor Sprout pulled out a larger pot than the Mandrake had currently been in, then dropped it into the pot and packed dirt around it until only the leaves were visible again. She checked it over, then pulled off her earmuffs and gave the class the all-clear. Elizabeth reached up and slid the earmuffs off, the band resting at her neck again.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings," Professor Sprout said simply, looking around the classroom, "Their cries won't kill yet. However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it's time to pack up.

"Four to a tray—there is a large supply of pots here—compost sacks over there—and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething."

"I'll go get some pots," Elizabeth said, heading towards the front of the classroom. She managed to balance four pots as she made her way back, where she found Justin talking with her friends.

"My name was down for Eton, you know," he was saying, "I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family..."

"Can I get by, Justin?" Elizabeth asked, "I don't want to drop these."

"Oh, sorry Elizabeth," Justin said, moving away. Elizabeth went back to her spot, putting down the pots of Mandrakes.

She didn't get a chance to say anything to her friends, as Professor Sprout started signaling for them to get to work. Elizabeth snapped on her earmuffs and they all made sure everyone was wearing theirs before they got to work.

The job of replanting Mandrakes was a lot harder than what Professor Sprout made it seem. It took a lot of effort just to get them out of the smaller pots as they were practically wedged in, having grown too big. Unfortunately, once they were out of the confined space, they didn't want to go back into something else. Elizabeth could understand that. She hated closed in spaces herself, but these things were plants. They should like being covered in dirt. Still, they fought the entire time and it took most of the class just for Elizabeth to manage to replant two of them. She was quite ready for the class to be over and she headed out with the others.

"I have Charms next," she told Hermione as the two of them ducked into a bathroom to wash up before their next class, "I'll see you and the guys at lu—Is someone crying?"

"Oh no, let's get out of here," Hermione said, puling Elizabeth by the arm out of the bathroom, "I should have realized, that's Moaning Myrtle's place."

"Oh, yeah, it is..." Elizabeth said slowly now that she realized where they were. She'd never actually encountered Moaning Myrtle—the ghost that haunted a girl's bathroom—but she'd heard of her from her classmates, and which bathroom she was in so Elizabeth usually knew which one to avoid.

The two girls didn't have a chance to clean up after that, and Elizabeth parted ways with Hermione as she rushed off to her Charms class.

It seemed Elizabeth wasn't the only one who hadn't been able to get cleaned up. Several of her fellow Hufflepuffs still had dirt smudges on their face or robes, including Hannah who had a pretty big one across her cheek.

"At least we don't smell like fertilizer," Susan said helpfully.

The one bright spot in the whole situation. Especially since Elizabeth always felt Charms was her worst subject. She just hoped she'd be able to do better this year as she found a seat in the Charms classroom.

"Now class," said the tiny Professor Flitwick in his high-pitched voice, "I'm sure many of you were expecting a recap of the previous year, but I expect more from my students so we will be diving right in! I thought we could start of easy, however, and today's lesson will be on a very simple spell, the Wand-Lighting Charm, otherwise known as '_Lumos'_."

Elizabeth glanced at Hannah and Susan on either side of her. She'd seen her mother and her aunt use this charm countless times. It was so easy, she didn't see how she'd have any problem with it.

As usual, Charms was a lot harder for Elizabeth than she expected. Even though she followed Professor Flitwick's directions, she had trouble getting her wand tip to do more than just a pale glow. Not like Hannah next to her, who got a very nice, bright white light off her wand.

"I'm so useless with Charms," Elizabeth said with a sigh as they made their way to a bathroom to clean up before lunch.

"You'll get there, don't worry," Susan said, checking to make sure Moaning Myrtle hadn't decided to switch bathrooms before the girls headed in, washing up at the sinks.

"And we'll help you if you need it," Hannah added, "I'm sure once you get it down, you'll find it pretty easy."

"It's just the actually getting it to work that's the problem," Elizabeth sighed, finishing cleaning up and heading down to the Great Hall for lunch.

"What do we have after our break again?" Sally-Anne asked once everyone had sat down and started getting food on their plates.

"Transfiguration," Elizabeth answered at once. It was her favorite class, she was eager to get started on a new year.

"Oh, I hate Transfiguration," Rodger said with a groan.

"I think it's fascinating," Sally-Anne said, grinning brightly, "I wonder what we'll be working on first?"

Theories about their first Transfiguration class lasted all through lunch until Elizabeth left the Hufflepuffs to go spend her break with Harry, Ron, and Hermione out in the courtyard. As the morning had went on, no rain had come, but the sky was still gray. Elizabeth found her friends at a stairway to the courtyard, Hermione on the stairs with her face behind one of Lockhart's books while Harry and Ron were standing next to her, talking about Quidditch.

"The Chudley Cannons are doing a lot better this year," Ron was saying, "They're actually seventh in the league right now."

"Every team gets lucky now and then," Elizabeth said as she came over, "They'll lose that spot soon enough. Besides, there's no way they'll ever beat the Montrose Magpies."

"Of course we can beat you," Ron said, his ears turning red.

"All right, Harry?" came a breathless sort of voice. Elizabeth looked over to see a small mousy-haired boy had come over, his face bright red and he was clutching an odd-looking camera in his hands.

"I'm—I'm Colin Creevey," the boy said, "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think—would it be all right if—can I have a picture?"

"A picture?" Harry asked, sounding confused.

"So I can prove I've met you," Colin said quickly, "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got the lightning car on your forehead and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll _move_."

Colin stopped to breathe and Elizabeth found herself hoping that this wasn't what she had looked like last year, when she first approached Harry in the Great Hall, then ran away from him, unable to speak. She could understand why Harry didn't like this attention...

"It's _amazing_ here, isn't it?" Colin went on, "I never knew all this odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you. Maybe one of your friends could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"

"_Signed photos_? You're giving out _signed photos_, Potter?"

Elizabeth groaned. Why was it Malfoy always showed up at the worst possible times? Because there he was, standing behind Colin with Crabbe and Goyle, looking beside himself with glee.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy waved around the courtyard, "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

"No, I'm not," Harry said harshly and Elizabeth saw him clenching his hands, "Shut up, Malfoy."

"Harry, don't start a fight," Elizabeth whispered. He didn't need to be getting himself into trouble...

"You're just jealous," Colin said with a bravery Elizabeth didn't think she could ever muster, especially considering he wasn't even half of Crabbe's size.

"_Jealous_?" Malfoy asked with a laugh, "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

Elizabeth glared, clenching her own hands into fists. She didn't dare say anything, however. She knew better than to pick a fight. Especially one she knew she couldn't win.

"Eat slugs, Malfoy," Ron snapped. Crabbe and Goyle stopped laughing, then smirked and started flexing their fingers, as if getting ready for a fight.

"Be careful, Weasley," Malfoy smirked at Ron, "You don't want to start any trouble or your mummy'll have to come take you away from school." Malfoy straightened up, continuing in a mockingly shrill voice, "_If you put another toe out of line—_"

Elizabeth felt her face flush with anger as she gripped her hands in tighter fists. Couldn't Malfoy leave them alone, just for once?

"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," Malfoy went on, "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house—"

"Shove off, Malfoy!" Elizabeth snapped as Ron yanked out his wand—held together by Spellotape—and aimed it at Malfoy.

"Look out!" Hermione said in a sharp whisper behind them. Elizabeth spun around, not thinking it could get any worse but was proven wrong. Lockhart was making his way over to them.

"What's all this, what's all this? Who's giving out signed photos?" the words barely left his mouth when he noticed Harry and immediately threw an arm around the boy, "Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!"

Harry's face went red and he seemed to try and get away from Lockhart, but had no luck. Elizabeth huffed in annoyance, glaring after Malfoy and his friends disappearing into the crowd nearby.

"Come on, then, Mr. Creevey," Lockhart said with a grin to the first year, "A double portrait, can't do better than that, and we'll _both_ sign it for you."

Colin nearly dropped his camera before snapping the picture, just as the bell rang for classes. Elizabeth wanted to step forward to say something to Harry, but Lockhart had a firm grip around him and led him off back to the castle.

"We have Defense Against the Dark Arts next," Ron said with a groan, "We'll see you later, Elizabeth."

"Good luck," Elizabeth said, staring after Lockhart before she turned away, heading off for her Transfiguration class. However, she barely made it across the courtyard when a first year Hufflepuff came up to her. Elizabeth vaguely remembered from the Sorting the night before that his name was Zacharias.

"You're really friends with Harry Potter?" he asked skeptically, "I saw you talking with him."

"Yes, I am," Elizabeth said, straightening her bag, "Is there something else you need? I'm going to be late for class."

She didn't try to be rude, but Transfiguration was next. She knew the last thing she wanted to do was be late for Professor McGonagall's class.

"He's not really as big a deal as everyone says he is, is he?" Zacharias followed along behind Elizabeth, "I mean, from across the courtyard he doesn't look that impressive—"

"Zacharias, I'm sorry, but this is my stop," Elizabeth said as they reached the Transfiguration classroom, not really wanting to argue with the boy over her friend right now. She didn't wait for him to respond, heading on into the classroom.


	6. Chapter Six

_**Chapter Six:**_

Elizabeth couldn't help but think the second year of classes were much like the first year. Charms felt harder, though the rest felt about the same. Aside from Defense Against the Dark Arts. That hadn't been a class at all. She'd been worried when she first went in, as Harry and Ron told her that Lockhart had released a cage full of pixies in the classroom and made them put them away. They said he had no clue what he was doing, but Hermione insisted Lockhart only wanted to give them practice.

Elizabeth's experience with Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't as lively, though she almost wished it was. It stated with her entering the classroom and sitting in the back next to Wayne, Rodger and Ernie, as Susan and Hannah wanted to sit towards the front. Elizabeth looked around the room, rolling her eyes as she noticed the walls decorated with paintings and photos of their new teacher. He was definitely egotistical.

"Why aren't you up there with the other fans?" Rodger asked, motioning to the all the other girls of Hufflepuff, as well as Justin and Oliver. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, turning back to the boys with her.

"Because I don't think Professor Lockhart deserves the attention," she said, "He might be talented, and yeah he seems to have done some good things in his books, but he seems to enjoy it too much."

"I never really saw what the big deal about him was," Wayne said, "I mean, the stuff he's done? I bet any Auror at the Ministry could have done the same thing. Or anyone working in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. He's only different because he wrote books about it."

"Exactly!" Elizabeth said, "He doesn't deserve this fame. Honestly, I have no idea how he ended up teaching here..."

"Welcome, students!" Lockhart's voice cut off Elizabeth's conversation and she sighed, rolling her eyes as she pushed her glasses back up her nose and turned to the front of the classroom, where Lockhart was grinning at them.

"I take it you need no introduction on who I am," he said, picking up a book off his desk and holding it up, pointing to the picture of himself on the cover, "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award!"

'_So much for no needed introductions,'_ Elizabeth thought bitterly.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books—well done!"

'_Not really,'_ Elizabeth thought, _'You're the one who put the whole set on our lists.'_

"So why don't we start off class with a little quiz?" Lockhart went on, "Don't worry, don't worry, there won't be any grading. This will just to assess your skills, how much you've taken in..."

Lockhart walked around the class, handing out the pieces of parchment before returning to his desk and instructing them to begin. Elizabeth sighed and flipped her paper over, scanning over it, then looking between Rodger and Ernie in disgust. Every single one of these questions were about their teacher about trivial things. What was his favorite color, what did he do in his spare time, what was his dream gift...

'_He doesn't want to assess our skills,'_ Elizabeth thought, _'He wants to know who his fans are!'_

Elizabeth gave a sigh, then started on the quiz. She, unfortunately, knew a few of the answers thanks to her mother, but others she simply made wild guesses on. Half an hour later, she was done and was glad to have Lockhart take the parchment away.

Lockhart seemed to consider it a crime that most of the class got at least one question wrong—Elizabeth was quite sure she'd gotten over half of them wrong—but he praised Sally-Anne for getting every question right and awarded the Hufflepuffs ten points. Elizabeth figured that was one good thing from the class. She wasn't going to turn down House points.

She had been worried that they'd have a pixie disaster like Harry and Ron described, but Lockhart had apparently learned his lesson last time. Instead, they were subjected to Lockhart preforming a reenactment from one of his books. It took all Elizabeth had not to start giggling too loud in class, constantly glancing to Rodger, Wayne, and Ernie. Rodger and Wayne looked as amused as Elizabeth did, but Ernie looked annoyed.

"What is this supposed to be teaching us?" he asked as they left the class, "I thought we were supposed to be learning, not watching Professor Lockhart show off."

"He was showing us how to handle a banshee!" said Susan behind them, "He's not showing off!"

"And what in assigning us an essay on 'what we learned from his start of class quiz' is teaching us anything about defending ourselves against the Dark Arts?" Rodger asked.

Susan flushed and held her head high, hurrying on ahead of them to the Great Hall for lunch.

**xxxxx**

The first Saturday of the term, Elizabeth woke up early as usual. She loved mornings like this, quiet times to herself. She quickly got dresses and brushed through her hair, pushing her glasses on and pulled on her cloak before pocketing her two-way mirror, then headed out to the common room.

"You're up early."

Elizabeth yelped and spun around—then felt heat rush to her face. The cute third-year from the Start of Term Feast was grinning at her from one of the overstuffed armchairs nearby.

"I...I...er..." Elizabeth stammered. Her mind had gone completely blank. What was she supposed to say? What could she say?

"You're Elizabeth, right?" the boy asked, getting up and coming over, holding out his hand, "I'm Tobias. Tobias Marsh."

"You know my name?" Elizabeth blurted, just staring at Tobias. He laughed and Elizabeth felt her face growing hotter.

"Yeah, you're one of Harry Potter's friends," he said, lowering his hand since Elizabeth didn't take it. She suddenly wanted to smack herself. She should have shook his hand.

"I...er...yeah," she said slowly, "I am..."

She had no idea what else she was supposed to say to that. Some cute boy was talking to her. Her mind was mush right now. What was she supposed to say? Especially to a cute boy, standing there, staring at her...

"I...Have to go..." Elizabeth blurted, turning and hurrying off out of the common room.

That was probably her most embarrassing thing she'd done to date. Well, except for maybe her first attempt to say hello to Harry. She seemed to have a habit of getting embarrassed and running away from people.

Elizabeth headed out into the morning air, cool against her face and she grinned a little, starting down the steps towards the lake, deciding to get on with the walk she'd wanted to take. She'd barely reached the edge of the water when she saw her brother and his friend, Cedric Diggory.

"Good morning, Liz," Lewis said with a grin.

"Morning, Lewis, Cedric."

"You're up pretty early," Cedric said, "Then again, you usually are."

"Yeah, I wanted to take a walk," Elizabeth said, falling into step between the boys, "Why're you two up?"

"We were planning to go flying," Cedric said, "Get some practice in before the Hufflepuff tryouts tomorrow afternoon."

"But as we got to the pitch, the Gryffindors were heading into the locker room," Lewis added with a sigh, "They've got the field booked."

"They're practicing really early," Elizabeth said.

"Yeah, but that practice won't do much good," Cedric said with a playful smile, "Gryffindor hasn't won the Quidditch cup in the past six years and it won't happen this year."

"Yeah, this year I'll make the team and lead the Hufflepuffs to victory," Lewis said with a laugh.

"Yes, you'll make all the difference!" Cedric gave his friend a playful shove and Elizabeth rolled her eyes, watching the two boys playfully shoving and punching at each other the way guys tended to do.

Though she couldn't help but wonder, why couldn't she be this comfortable around Tobias? She did great around her classmates, and despite the awkward start with Harry, he was one of her best friends now. Did she only need time with Tobias? Warm up to him, then she'd be fine around him?

"So, do you have any intentions to try out for the team, Liz?" Cedric asked. He was one of the few people that Elizabeth didn't mind calling her the nickname. Mainly because she'd known him for years through Lewis, plus Lewis always called her Liz, so Cedric just picked up from him.

"No, I don't think so," Elizabeth shook her head, "I have my broom, and I love Quidditch, but I much prefer to watch than play."

"Yeah, I've always thought she was strange too," Lewis said, laughing. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but she grinned.

"I'll come to watch the tryouts, like I did last time," she said, "And I'll be rooting for you to make the team this year, Lewis."

"I'm thinking he will," Cedric said, "The past few years, there wasn't really an opening. The captain didn't seem to want to add new members. But Michelle Grinbur left last year, so there's a Chaser slot open."

"And I'm going to get it," Lewis said confidently.

Elizabeth hoped he was right. He'd been really mopey after not making the team last year, and she didn't want to deal with that again.

"What are the Slytherins heading down to the pitch for?" Cedric asked suddenly, looking over to a group of green-robbed students making their way from the locker room, each carrying identical brooms.

"I'll find out, see you later," Elizabeth said, heading off towards the Quidditch pitch at a jog.

Elizabeth got to the pitch, noticing the entire Gryffindor team there as well, and Ron and Hermione with them. Ron was staring with wide-eyes at the brooms the Slytherin team had and when Elizabeth looked, she couldn't blame him. The entire Slytherin team had Nimbus Two-Thousand-And-Ones. And in the middle of the team was Draco Malfoy.

"Good, aren't they?" Malfoy said with a satisfied grin as he noticed Ron and Elizabeth's looks, "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleanseep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."

The Slytherins all laughed as if it were the most hilarious thing they'd ever heard. Elizabeth glared at them, clenching her fists.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy_ their way in," Hermione snapped, "_They_ got in on pure talent."

Elizabeth snorted. No wonder Malfoy had made the Quidditch team. His father bribed them with new brooms. Malfoy was just pathetic.

"No one asked your opinion," Malfoy snarled, "You filthy little Mudblood."

Elizabeth had only heard the term once before—when she was five, she'd heard someone call her mother 'The Mudblood Lover'. She hadn't understood what that meant, but later learned just how disgusting the term was. She felt her face flush with anger and disgust as her hand immediately went for her wand.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" Ron snapped from to the side, yanking out his own broken wand.

Two things happened at once. Elizabeth yelled '_Locomotor Mortis_', her wand aimed at Malfoy and his legs snapped together. Then, she heard Hermione cry out behind her and she spun around, seeing Ron was doubled over nearby. She hurried over, just as Ron opened his mouth—and threw up several disgusting-looking slugs.

The Slytherins behind them roared with laughed and Elizabeth spun back turning towards them.

"You disgusting gits!" she hissed, her face flushed with anger and her hands clenched in fists, but she didn't move. She just stood there, shaking in anger. She knew she shouldn't be saying anything, not after she cursed Malfoy—who was holding onto Goyle's arm to stay up as he was laughing himself, his legs still bound together.

"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," Harry said behind Elizabeth. She turned back to them to see Harry and Hermione hoisting Ron up just as he threw up more slugs.

"What happened, Harry?" little Colin was rushing towards them, his camera tight in hand, "Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?"

Ron threw up more slugs and Colin started to lift his camera, looking fascinated.

"Get out of the way, Colin!" Harry snapped, pushing past. Elizabeth hurried after them, trying not to step on the slugs Ron had been throwing up. She really hoped Ron would be okay...She'd heard her mother talk about backfired curses at she dealt with at St. Mungo's. They could be dangerous and sometimes deadly.

"Nearly there, Ron," Hermione said encouragingly, "You'll be all right in a minute—almost there—"

Elizabeth started forward ahead of them, to knock on Hagrid's door and get his attention before Hermione and Harry brought Ron in, but she stopped when she saw the door open. She groaned when she noticed it was Lockhart coming out, easily spotted by his bright robes and curly blond hair. Elizabeth immediately ducked behind the side of Hagrid's hut, Harry and Hermione following with Ron.

"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart said dramatically, "If you need help, "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one—I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, goodbye!"

Elizabeth watched as Lockhart left, then made sure he was out of sight before coming back around to the door, knocking hard.

"Hagrid, it's us!" Elizabeth called.

A second later, Hagrid opened the door with a grin.

"Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me—come in, come in!"

Elizabeth turned to help Hermione and Harry get Ron inside and into an armchair. She quickly explained to Hagrid about Ron's backfired curse and Hagrid immediately got a pocket, holding it out to Ron.

"Better out than in," Hagrid said, Get 'em all up, Ron."

"Mum would know exactly what to do with this," Elizabeth said, sitting in a chair, "I don't think we can do anything ourselves except wait it out."

Ron groaned and threw up more slugs as Hagrid started making everyone tea. Elizabeth had a feeling Ron was going to decline his.

"What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" Harry asked as Hagrid's massive dog, Fang, stuck his head in Harry's lap and he started scratching the dog behind the ears.

"Givin' me advice on getting' kelpies out of a well," Hagrid said lowly, "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."

"I think you're being a bit unfair," Hermione said, her voice rising a little, "Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job—"

"He was the _on'y_ man for the job," Hagrid cut in, holding out a plate of toffee. Elizabeth, remembering Hagrid's notoriously hard to eat cooking, politely declined, saying she wasn't hungry, "An' I mean the _on'y_ one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now."

"Lewis told me he's had a different teacher every year he's been here so far," Elizabeth said.

"About how it's bin fer a long time now," Hagrid said, then motioned to Ron, "So tell me, who was he tryin' ter curse?"

"Malfoy," Elizabeth said with a glare, "He called Hermione...Well..." Elizabeth glanced at her friends, unable to say it herself.

"Malfoy called her 'Mudblood', Hagrid—" Ron finished before immediately throwing up more slugs.

"He didn'!" Hagrid said in disbelief and outrage. Elizabeth sunk back a bit. She'd never really seen Hagrid angry before. It was kind of terrifying.

"He did," Hermione said, "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course—"

"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," Ron said with a struggled gasp.

"The most disgusting name," Elizabeth added, "It's fowl. An insult against Muggle-borns, saying they have 'dirty blood' because they don't have magical parents. Mum said she often got slurs thrown at her by people like the Malfoys because she married my father, he was a Muggle-born."

"The rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all," Ron said, "Look at Neville Longbottom—he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."

"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do," Hagrid said with a grin and Hermione blushed brightly.

"The whole dirty blood thing is ridiculous," Ron said, emerging from the bucket in his lap, "Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles, we'd've died out."

"And like I said, my father was Muggle-born," Elizabeth said, "And killed for it during the war. It's absolutely disgusting."

"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," Hagrid said as Ron's face disappeared into the bucket again, "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. 'Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter the school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer's not in trouble."

Elizabeth felt heat rush to her face. She'd hit Malfoy with a Leg-Locker Curse. How much trouble was she going to get into for that? Cursing Draco Malfoy...She knew the Malfoy family could cause problems just by waving money around.

"Harry," Hagrid went on, turning towards him, "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"

"I have _not_ been giving out signed photos!" Harry said sharply, "If Lockhart's still spreading that around—"

"I was only jokin'," Hagrid said with a bright laugh, patting Harry into the back—Harry nearly face-planted into the table and Elizabeth hurried over, helping him back up.

"I knew yeh hadn't really," Hagrid went on, "I told Lockhart yeh didn' need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin'."

"I'm sure he took that well," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes.

"Don' think he did," Hagrid said, "An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle toffee, Ron?"

Ron refused, saying it wasn't worth the risk and Elizabeth couldn't help but agree. The last thing he needed was to have his mouth sealed shut when another slug attack came along.

Hagrid took them out into his garden after that, showing off the pumpkins he was growing for that year's Halloween feast. Elizabeth had a feeling from what he told them, that Hagrid was using magic to grow the pumpkins to the enormous size they now were.

Elizabeth knew Hagrid had been expelled from Hogwarts when he was a child, kept on the grounds as an apprentice to the current groundskeeper at that time. They didn't know why he was expelled, though, he never would tell them.

"We should be getting up to the castle," Elizabeth said, "It's nearly lunch."

The four gave their goodbyes to Hagrid before heading back up the grounds towards the castle, eager to forget about that morning on the pitch and enjoy a good lunch.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth's rash decision to curse Malfoy on the Quidditch pitch led to her serving detention with Snape that night. Several hours down in the dungeons, scrubbing cauldrons with no magic as Snape sat behind his desk with a satisfied smirk on his face. It was after midnight when he finally dubbed the cauldrons 'passable' and allowed Elizabeth to leave. Sore and exhausted, she eagerly hurried from the room and off towards the Hufflepuff common rooms.

"Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth jumped at the noise, looking around the common room but saw it was empty. After a moment, she realized it was coming from her bag. She dug into it quickly and pulled out her small mirror, holding it up to see Harry staring back at her.

"Good, you haven't gone to bed yet," he said, looking worried.

"Snape just now let me go," Elizabeth said, sitting in an armchair, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Harry sighed and leaned forward. Elizabeth could see red curtains of a canopy bed behind him—was he in his dormitory?

"Apparently something big," Ron's tired voice came from somewhere on the other side, "Since he insisted on seeing if you were up first."

"What about Hermione?" Elizabeth asked.

"We can tell her tomorrow," Harry said, "Besides, you two will know if something's up better than her...During my detention with Lockhart, I heard this voice...When I asked Lockhart about it, he said he didn't know what I was talking about."

"Maybe he was lying," Elizabeth said, "Maybe he was just pulling some joke on you or something, or trying to make you feel lesser than him so he could continue being the big celebrity at Hogwarts."

"But I don't get it," Ron said, "Even if someone invisible came in, they would've had to open the door."

"Unless they were in there the whole time?" Elizabeth asked, "Though I don't know how I could stand to stay in there under a cloak for hours and listen to Lockhart."

With no answers, and all three exhausted, Elizabeth put away her mirror and headed on to her dormitory, eager for sleep and to forget about how long her day was.


	7. Chapter Seven

_**Chapter Seven:**_

School soon fell into Elizabeth's usual routine. She spent classes and almost all meals with her House, especially Susan and Hannah—though Defense Against the Dark Arts, she sat with Ernie, Rodger, and Wayne. Breaks and other times outside of class, before curfew, she spent with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Or just Ron and Hermione when Harry was at practice. Or she was at the pitch herself, watching the Hufflepuffs practice. Her brother had made Chaser this year, and he was in a much better mood than he'd been the last year after tryouts.

Sometimes, especially on days when it had been raining like it was one day just a week before Halloween, Elizabeth would greet Harry as he came in from practice and would walk with him up to the Gryffindor tower.

"Practice must have been miserable," Elizabeth said as Harry came in, dripping with water and mud, his Nimbus Two Thousand resting over his shoulder.

"It was," Harry said with a sigh, "There's no way we're going to be able to keep up with the Slytherins on their brooms..."

"Don't say that," Elizabeth said, "Just keep practicing. I'd hate to say it, feel like I'm betraying my House, but you're the best flyer I've ever seen, Harry. If anyone can beat those Slytherins, it's you. Besides." Elizabeth grinned at him. "We're talking about Malfoy here. There's no way he'd ever catch the Snitch, no matter how good of a broom he has."

"Thanks," Harry said with a smile, seeming a little better at that.

They'd rounded a corner and Elizabeth saw a ghost up ahead. By the ruffles and the way his head wobbled, she took at guess this was Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor. She'd seen him around a few times, but never actually had talked to him herself. As they got closer, she could hear him mumbling to himself.

"Hello, Nick," Harry spoke loudly, to make sure he had the ghost's attention.

"Hello, hello," Nearly Headless Nick had turned towards them, then grinned as he saw Harry.

"Is something bothering you?" Elizabeth asked.

"Ah, a matter of no importance..." Nearly Headless Nick waved her off, "It's not as though I really wanted to join...Thought I'd apply, but apparently I 'don't fulfill requirements'—But you would think, wouldn't you," Nearly Headless Nick suddenly pulled something from his pocket that looked like parchment, though it was as silvery and transparent as he was, "That getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"

"Oh—yes," Harry said in an unsure sort of way. He looked over at Elizabeth with a confused look and she simply returned his stare. She really only knew of Nearly Headless Nick from stories other students told. She was much more familiar with her own House ghost, the Fat Friar.

"I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had been quick and clean," Nearly Headless Nick went on, "And my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However—" He shook out the transparent parchment and began to read, his voice thick with anger, "_'We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company within their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore.'_"

"Oh, sorry..." Elizabeth said slowly. What was she supposed to say to that?

"Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on!" Nearly Headless Nick said, "Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh, no, it's not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."

There was a loud meow nearby and Elizabeth turned, at first expecting Cream, or some other student's cat, but instead, she found herself facing Mrs. Norris. The nasty little cat with red eyes, owned by the equally nasty caretaker, Argus Filch.

"You two better get out of here," Nearly Headless Nick said, "Filch isn't in a good mood—he's got the flu and some third-years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He's been cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud all over the place, Harry—"

"Right," Harry said, starting to back away. Elizabeth was right behind him, though the second they turned around, they found themselves face to face with Filch himself, appearing from behind a tapestry nearby. He was out of breath and red-faced, a scarf wrapped around him despite being inside. The second he noticed Elizabeth and Harry, his face grew redder and Elizabeth instinctively took a step behind Harry.

"Filth! Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potter, Martin!"

Harry and Elizabeth exchanged a look before leaving Nearly Headless Nick behind and following the Hogwarts caretaker. Neither of them dared to say a word the entire walk down to a small, windowless room. Elizabeth glanced around, squinting slightly in the dim light at the old desk and walls lined with filing cabinets. Every now and then, the light reflected off of chains hanging from the ceiling. Again, Elizabeth moved closer to Harry. Chains from the ceiling and dim lighting gave the room a far too eerie vibe for her.

"Dung," Flitch muttered as he grabbed a quill and continued to look around his desk, "Great sizzling dragon bogies...Frog brains...rat intestines...I've had enough of it...make an example...where's that form...yes..."

Elizabeth glanced at Harry next to her. He looked back, looking as nervous as she felt. They weren't about to get in detention, were they? Just for Harry tracking a bit of mud into the castle?

"_Name_...Harry Potter and Elizabeth Martin. _Crime_..."

"It was only a bit of mud!" Harry said suddenly, "And Elizabeth had nothing to do with it!"

"It's only a bit of mud to you, boy," Fitch replied, seeming to ignore Harry's second complaint, "But to me it's an extra hour of scrubbing!" He turned back to the parchment. "_Crime_...befouling the castle..._suggested sentence_..."

There was a loud crash from directly overhead, causing the hanging lamp to sway.

"PEEVES! I'll have you this time, I'll have you!"

Filch was out the door in a second and Elizabeth looked over at Harry.

"Think we should make a run for it?" she asked.

"We'll probably just end up in even more trouble," Harry said slowly, looking around the room, "We should wait. Maybe by the time he gets back he'll be too angry with Peeves and just tell us to leave."

Elizabeth thought Harry was being a bit naive, but nodded and sat down anyway. Harry, sitting down in a chair closer to the desk, picked up a purple letter off the desk.

"Kwikspell? What's this?" he asked.

"A scam thing," Elizabeth said, "It supposedly is supposed to help people like Squibs be able to use magic."

"Squib?" Harry asked, looking up at Elizabeth.

"People born in magical families who don't have magic themselves. I had a great-great uncle who was a Squib, my family lost contact with him after a while, after he went to live with Muggles."

"Are squibs common?" Harry asked.

"No, they're really rare," Elizabeth answered, shaking her head, "But if Filch is one, that explains why he hates students so much...But why would he choose to take care of a castle full of witches and wizards when he can't use magic himself? Most squibs can't take being around magic when they can't use it and usually go to live with Muggles."

They heard the familiar sound of Filch's footsteps in the hallway and Harry threw the letter back onto the desk, quickly turning around and Elizabeth followed suit, hoping Filch wouldn't notice. She just wanted to find out what detention she had and get out of there.

"That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!" Filch said gleefully, Mrs. Norris right on his heels, "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet!"

Filch suddenly noticed Elizabeth and Harry, seeming to just remember they were there. His gaze went to his desk and his face suddenly went red as he noticed the purple envelope. Elizabeth immediately moved towards Harry, half-hiding behind him.

"Have you—did you read—"

"No," Elizabeth and Harry answered at once.

"If I thought you'd read my private—not that it's mine—for a friend—be that as it may—however—Very well—go—and don't breathe a word—not that—however, if you didn't read—go now, I have to write up Peeves' report—go—"

Elizabeth didn't need telling twice, hurrying out of the office with Harry. She'd never seen Filch look so livid before and she made a note to make sure never to end up in that situation again.

"That was close," Elizabeth said, "I'm going to head on to my common room. See you later, Harry."

Elizabeth turned, heading off down the stairs to her own common room, heading in and seeing the rain washing against the high, small windows. Elizabeth was just about to head over to where she saw Susan and Hannah when she heard Harry's voice coming from her bag, so instead she went off to her dormitory and sat on her bed, pulling out her little mirror.

"What is it?" she asked, "Did Filch come after you again?"

"No, but I talked with Nick after you left," Harry said, "I wanted to get you to tell you at the same time as Hermione and Ron." Elizabeth watched as Harry looked up, and she realized he was at his common room now, "But he's invited us all to come to his deathday party on Halloween."

"A deathday party?" Hermione's voice came from out of view, "I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been do one of those—it'll be fascinating!"

Leave it to Hermione to find something depressing as a learning experience.

"I don't see why you'd want to celebrate the day you died," Elizabeth said, "What's the point?"

"Yeah, it sounds dead depressing to me," Ron said from out of view and Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"But what was this about Filch?" Hermione asked, "Did you get into trouble again, Harry?"

"He was making up excuses," Harry responded, "Since I was tracking in mud and—"

There was suddenly a loud bang from the other side of the mirror and Elizabeth watched as Harry jerked his head up, grinning at something going on in their common room.

"What? What happened?" Elizabeth asked, not really about to see much besides Harry.

"Fred and George," Harry turned back to her, "They were feeding a firecracker to a salamander. It just went off and the salamander hid in the fire."

"Someone could have been hurt!" Hermione said, "Can't they be more responsible?"

"I thought it was brilliant," Ron said with a laugh.

The four continued talking until it started growing late and they all said goodnight before going on to bed. Elizabeth sighed as she curled up under her covers, Cream lying on her pillow next to her head. Elizabeth wasn't looking forward to Halloween. A deathday party didn't sound fun at all.

Still, she wasn't going to back out, despite the fact she wanted to as much as Harry and Ron did. So, on Halloween night, she stood in the entrance hall, waiting for her friends. She tried not to pay too much attention to everyone passing her into the Great Hall, or the delicious smells of the feast in the next room. Her stomach was growling and her mouth watered a little at the smell, but she stayed where she was.

She kept trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. She'd been feeling odd nearly all day. She'd had feelings like this before, but she knew there was a reason for it. Like this time, it was simply her not wanting to go to this deathday party. Once it was over with, the feeling would go away.

Eventually, she saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione coming on down the stairs, Harry and Ron both looking longingly to the Great Hall. They all turned, heading down into a dimly lit corridor of the dungeons. Even with all the candles, though the fact they were all glowing a low blue flame probably had something to do with it.

The further they went along the corridor, the colder Elizabeth felt. Dungeons were often a bit cooler than the rest of the castle, but this was like standing out in the snow. Elizabeth hugged her robes tighter against her, noticing the others doing the same, as they reached one room where there was a screeching sort of noise that made Elizabeth wince slightly.

Nearly Headless Nick was there to greet them at the door, ushering them inside. Elizabeth followed her friends, and she had to admit, despite the cold and teeth-grinding music, it was an amazing sight in the room. Hundreds of ghosts were floating around, giving the room a soft silver glow mixing with the blue of the candles.

"I guess we should look around," Elizabeth said, hugging her robes closer, "I mean, we're here. We might as well try to enjoy ourselves."

Making their way through the room was a challenge. It was hard to judge where to walk so they wouldn't accidentally walk through one of the many ghosts. Elizabeth could see other Hogwarts ghosts around, including the Gray Lady of Ravenclaw, the Bloody Baron of Slytherin, and the Fat Friar of her own House. She waved to him as he looked up and he waved back with a bright grin.

"Oh no," Hermione's eyes widened as she stopped, then took a step backwards, "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle."

Elizabeth was quick to start heading the other way, glancing towards the ghost of a plump young girl with glasses. Elizabeth had never met the ghost before and she hoped to keep it that way.

"Who's she?" Harry asked once they were a safe distance away.

"This ghost that stays in a toilet in the first floor bathroom," Elizabeth said, "No one can ever use it, she's crying all the time and half the time she floods everything."

"She haunts a _toilet_?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"I don't get it either, but she loves to cry in there."

"Look, food!" Ron said eagerly, starting for one side of the room where there was a long table. Elizabeth followed behind, eager for something to eat, but the second she got within sight of the table she gagged.

The table was full of food, but it was all food that Elizabeth had no intention of eating. All of it was covered in mold and maggots, or burned to the point of being black. In the center of the table was a large, disgusting looking cake shaped like a tombstone and held the date of Nearly Headless Nick's death on it.

"I expect they've let it rot to give it a strong flavor," Hermione said as a ghost passed through the table and said he could almost taste it.

"Can we move?" Ron asked, "I feel sick."

"Fine with me," Elizabeth said, backing away from the table. She turned around, then groaned. Peeves the Poltergeist had come over to them, looking gleeful.

"Nibbles?" he asked, holding out a bowl of molded peanuts. Elizabeth made a face at that as Hermione turned him down. "Heard you talking about poor Myrtle. _Rude_ you was about poor Myrtle."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. She knew where this was going and she started to protest, at the same time as Hermione, as Peeves yelled across the room for Myrtle. Elizabeth gave a groan, realizing the ghost was coming over, and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Just be nice and they could get through this.

Unfortunately, that was not how things worked out. The second Myrtle was over, Peeves started teasing her, sending the ghost into another of her fits. She flew off sobbing, Peeves right behind. The night didn't get much better after that as the Headless Hunt had shown up. Elizabeth had actually thought their show was entertaining, but she could see that they hadn't been a welcome group from Nearly Headless Nick's reaction and Elizabeth figured he had to still be bitter for being denied joining the group.

"I can't stand much more of this," Ron said some time later and they were all far too eager to leave.

Elizabeth was instantly glad to be back in the warmth of the rest of the castle. That odd feeling was still in her stomach, and in fact it was getting stronger.

'_It must just be the smell of that food down in that dungeon,'_ Elizabeth told herself.

"Pudding might not be finished yet," Ron said behind Elizabeth. She was just about to say something in response when she saw something from the corner of her eye and turned, seeing Harry looking pale and gripping the wall nearby. Elizabeth hurried over to him, placing her hand on his arm.

"Harry? What's wrong?" she asked, trying to ignore the odd feeling in her stomach getting stronger. Like she knew something was wrong, but she didn't know what.

"It's that voice again—shut up a minute—Listen!"

Elizabeth fell silent, her hand still on Harry's shoulder as she strained her ears. She could hear people talking in the Great Hall up the stairs, and she could hear the faint screeching of the so-called 'music' from the deathday party. But she couldn't hear anything that would be making Harry act like this, and he was staring up as if the voice he was hearing was above them rather than to the side or below.

"This way!" Harry said suddenly, taking off up the stairs nearby.

Elizabeth shared a confused look with Ron and Hermione, but then they hurried off after Harry anyway. He was suddenly going up the marble staircase nearby and Elizabeth hurried to follow.

"It's going to kill someone!" Harry called loudly. Elizabeth felt her stomach tighten, a feeling of dread growing stronger. She kept ignoring it, though, following Harry down a corridor on the second floor.

He stumbled to a stop at the end of it and Elizabeth nearly ran into him, breathing hard. Her heart was pounding and that feeling of dread was going so strong, she felt sick. She was trembling slightly now and was doubled over, her hands on her knees and her eyes closed as she tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down.

"Harry, _what_ was that all about?" Ron asked somewhere to Elizabeth's right, "I couldn't hear anything..."

"Look!" Hermione said in a high voice.

Elizabeth looked up, and immediately wished she hadn't. On the wall at the end of the corridor were letters shining in the torchlight:

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEENOPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.


	8. Chapter Eight

_**Chapter Eight:**_

Why had Harry led them here? Was he really hearing voices? Elizabeth hadn't heard anything. Her feeling of dread was finally subsiding, but she didn't really think that was a good thing. Not with that message staring back at her on the wall.

"What's that thing?" Ron asked weakly, "Hanging underneath?"

Elizabeth wasn't all that sure she wanted to move closer, though she did anyway, her friends right beside. Immediately she wished she hadn't as she jerked backwards. Mrs. Norris was hanging by her tail under a torch.

"Let's get out of here," Ron said slowly.

"Should we try to help—"

"Trust me," Ron cut Harry off, "We don't want to be found here."

Elizabeth couldn't help but agree with both of them. She wanted to help Mrs. Norris. As much as she hated the cat, she didn't like the idea of just leaving her there. But she knew Ron was right. With their reputation, if anyone found them up there in the corridor...Especially with Harry and Ron already just one mistake away from being expelled...

Elizabeth backed away a bit and turned, then froze as she heard footsteps coming down the corridors. Seconds later, students were coming into view, blocking any way for Elizabeth and her friends to get away. And now there they were, right by this message...Elizabeth found herself very glad there weren't any Hufflepuffs around. She couldn't imagine their faces, she didn't want to think of how her friends would react. Or worse, her brother...

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

Elizabeth's gaze narrowed as she noticed Malfoy at the front of one of the group of students, looking beside himself in excitement as he stared past them towards the message on the wall. Why wasn't she surprised he was getting so much joy out of this?

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

Elizabeth's annoyance at Malfoy turned to a bit of dread now as she glanced to her friends. That was Filch's voice. He was pushing his way through the crowd, but stopped the second he noticed Mrs. Norris hanging from the wall, his face going pale.

"My cat! My cat! What happened to Mrs. Norris?!" he cried out and Elizabeth might have felt sorry for him, if he hadn't noticed them standing there and he stepped towards Harry, "_You_! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll—"

"_Argus_!"

Elizabeth hadn't thought she'd feel any worse, but she was wrong. Dumbledore had come through the crowd, as well as other teachers. Including Professor Sprout. She saw Elizabeth standing there in the puddle, in front of the wall, and her eyes widened. Elizabeth immediately ducked her head, feeling her face grow warm. She didn't even want to think about what was going through her Head of House's mind right now. To see one of her own students at the scene of something terrible...Hopefully she could explain to Professor Sprout that she didn't do anything. That they'd just found this...

"Come with me, Argus," Dumbledore said and Elizabeth glanced up to see he'd gone to wall and removed Mrs. Norris, then turned towards them, "You four as well."

Elizabeth glanced over at her friends with a worried look. How much trouble were they in?

"My office is nearest, Headmaster," Lockhart said eagerly, "Just upstairs—please feel free—"

"Thank you, Gilderoy."

Lockhart looked far too eager to hurry off, leading them towards the office. Elizabeth glanced at her friends again, staying close to them as they followed and Elizabeth kept her gaze away from Professor Sprout, who was following behind with Professors McGonagall and Snape. Professor Sprout had to be disappointed in her, right? Disappointed and ashamed...

They entered Lockhart's office and Elizabeth saw it was decorated with even more pictures of himself than the classroom was—and every single Lockhart in the frames were diving out of sight, their hands over their hair filled with curlers. Elizabeth glanced to her friends as they took seats, grouped together, and Dumbledore began to examine Mrs. Norris. Lockhart was pacing around the room, rambling about some curse that had to have been used to kill Mrs. Norris while Filch was slumped in a chair sobbing.

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Despite the fact she hated Filch, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. After all, she doubted she'd react any differently if something happened to Cream...

"She's not dead, Argus," Dumbledore said and Elizabeth felt a wave of relief, "She has been Petrified."

"Ah! I thought so!" Lockhart said and Elizabeth glared at him. Just moments ago, he'd been rambling about the cat being dead and his own stories of encountering similar curses.

"But how," Dumbledore went on, "I cannot say..."

"Ask _them_!" Filch yelled, spinning towards Elizabeth and Harry. Elizabeth tensed, fighting hard not to look at Professor Sprout nearby.

"No second year could have done this," Dumbledore said, "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced—"

"They did it, they did it!" Filch raged, his face flushing, "You saw what they wrote on the wall! They found—in my office—they know I'm a—I'm a—They know I'm a Squib!"

"We didn't do anything to her!" Elizabeth said, her voice squeaking slightly.

"Rubbish! You saw my Kwikspell letter!"

"If I might speak, Headmaster," Snape said and Elizabeth jumped slightly. She'd forgotten he was there, "Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time." Snape watched them with a smirk on his face and Elizabeth fidgeted a little. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why were they in the upstairs corridor at all? Why weren't they at the Halloween feast?"

"We were at Sir Nick's deathday party," Harry said quickly, "There were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there—"

"But why not join the feast afterward? Why go up to that corridor?"

"Because..." Harry said slowly. Elizabeth glanced at him, thinking about the voice Harry said he was hearing. She doubted the teachers would believe it.

"We were tired," Elizabeth spoke up, looking to Snape, then figuring he would ask why she went upstairs instead of down, "And I had left a book in the library. I wanted to go grab it before going to bed."

"Without any supper?" Snape asked, his smirk growing into a smile that made Elizabeth uneasy, "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."

"We weren't hungry," Ron said, though his stomach started growling loudly.

"I suggest, Headmaster," Snape said coldly, "That these students are not being entirely truthful. It might be a good idea if they were deprived of certain privileges until they are ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel that Potter, for one, should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest."

"Really, Severus, I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch," Professor McGonagall said, "This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that any of these students have done anything wrong."

Elizabeth glanced up a bit and noticed Dumbledore was studying them. She glanced away, just to see Professor Sprout watching them. Elizabeth felt a bit sick, then it turned to relief when she noticed Professor Sprout giving her a warm smile. Did her Head of House actually believe she'd done nothing wrong?

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," Dumbledore finally said.

"My cat has been Petrified!" Filch said in a loud voice, looking outraged, "I want to see some _punishment_!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," Dumbledore said, "Pomona, I believe you were recently able to procure some Mandrakes?"

"Yes, of course," Professor Sprout said proudly, "They are already growing nicely and once they reach maturity, they can be used in a potion to help Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart said—apparently he didn't like that no one had paid attention to him in the past five minutes, "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep—"

"Excuse me, but I believe I am the Potions master at this school," Snape cut in.

Elizabeth would have laughed if she wasn't so afraid that it'd get her into trouble. She could already barely believe they were getting out of that office detention-free as it was. But Dumbledore had dismissed them, and the four were quick to jump on it. Elizabeth didn't look at Professor Sprout as she went, afraid that smile she saw earlier had been her imagination.

The four ducked into an empty classroom at the end of the corridor, far enough away from the teachers that they felt they wouldn't be caught.

"D'you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?" Harry asked once the door was closed.

"No," Elizabeth and Ron chorused, then Ron continued, "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."

"You do believe me, don't you?"

"Of course!" Elizabeth said quickly, "It's just...All of this..." Elizabeth frowned a little, biting at her lip slightly. "Hearing a voice no one else does, that leads us to that message? It's weird..."

"I know it's weird," Harry said, "The whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? 'The Chamber Has Been Opened'...What's that supposed to mean?"

"It does sound a bit familiar," Elizabeth said slowly, "I can't remember why, though."

"I know," Ron added, "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once...Might have been Bill..."

"I think it might have been my grandparents," Elizabeth said, "Mentioning some story that went around while they were here in Hogwarts..."

"Midnight," Harry said as a clock started giving off twelve slow chimes, "We'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else."

"Good idea," Elizabeth said with a nod, "I'll see you in the morning."

Elizabeth headed out, making her way back down the stairs and to the Hufflepuff common room. As she entered, the room was a buzz of conversations and Elizabeth noticed Lewis making his way over towards her. Elizabeth swallowed, not liking the look on her brother's face. Apparently the story of the message upstairs and Filch's cat had made it to their common room.

"Why is it whenever something happens, you or your friends are always there?" Lewis asked the second he reached Elizabeth.

"We didn't do anything," Elizabeth insisted, feeling her face flush, "We just happened to find it first."

"You just _happened_ to be upstairs instead of at the feast?" Lewis asked skeptically, "And just _happened_ to be in the one place in the entire castle that could get you into trouble?"

Elizabeth bit back the urge to remind her brother that there were dozens of other places in the castle she could have gotten in trouble for being in. She didn't want to test his patience, however.

"So you think I could have attacked a cat?" she asked instead, "And written that message on the wall? I don't even know what this chamber thing is."

"Of course I don't think _you_ would do that," Lewis said, though the way he said that didn't make Elizabeth feel better.

"You think one of my friends would?" she asked, straightening herself up some and glaring, "None of them would ever, Lewis."

We've all heard about it," Lewis said, "Everyone's already talking about how strange it is that Harry Potter, of all people, just happened to be there where Filch's cat is attacked. Just as week after having a run-in with him."

"I was with Harry all afternoon! He didn't do anything!" Elizabeth said loudly, attracting stares of people nearby, "He's my friend, Lewis, and I know him well enough to know he wouldn't do anything!"

Without waiting for her brother to respond, Elizabeth spun on her heels and marched off towards the girls' dormitories.


	9. Chapter Nine

_**Chapter Nine:**_

By the next day, Elizabeth quickly learned that Lewis wasn't the only one who believed Harry was behind the attack on Mrs. Norris. Harry had Quidditch practice and Elizabeth had opted to stay in the Hufflepuff common room to work on a History of Magic assignment instead of go down to watch. She was soon joined by her fellow second years, gathered around the low tables and overstuffed chairs.

"So, what really happened?" Ernie asked, "Last night. You weren't at the feast."

"I told you before I was invited to a deathday party," Elizabeth said, "Exactly what happened. We went to the party. I left something in the library, and the others were tired so we went upstairs. We found the message and then everyone showed up."

"So Harry didn't do anything?" Sally-Anne asked.

"Of course not!" Elizabeth said defensively, "I was with him all afternoon."

"But you all ended up exactly where that message was," Ernie pointed out matter-of-factly.

Elizabeth frowned. She didn't really know how to respond to that one. After all, what was she supposed to say? They were following voices only Harry could hear?

"Do any of you know what the Chamber of Secrets is?" Elizabeth asked instead.

"I do."

Elizabeth yelped slightly as she jumped in her seat, looking up. Immediately, she felt herself go hot in the face as she noticed Tobias Marsh was leaning against the back of the couch beside her. He grinned at them in a way that made Elizabeth's stomach tighten, then he moved to sit in the empty armchair at their group.

"I've heard about the legend before," Tobias said, "I mean, I'm sure you all already know the history of how Hogwarts was founded?"

"Yes," most of them said, while Sally-Anne said "No."

"I mean, I know there were the four founders," Justin added, "But I don't think I've ever heard the whole story. I've never read anything about this chamber."

"Yeah, it's hard to pay attention in Professor Binns' class," Tobias said with a shrug, "That chamber never came up anyway. But you all know there were the four founders and the Houses named after them, our House being after Helga Hufflepuff." Tobias paused, motioning to the painting that hung over the fireplace, where Helga smiled at them and raised her cup. "They built this school and began teaching anyone who wanted to learn. At least, Hufflepuff was willing to accept anyone." Tobias grinned proudly at that and Elizabeth couldn't help but grin herself. Anyone who wanted to learn should be able to, as far as she was concerned.

"Trouble started up, however, with Salazar Slytherin," Tobias went on, "Of course it was Slytherin. They're always the trouble-makers. He believed that Muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed to attend Hogwarts. He felt that if one wasn't born into a magic family, then they should not be considered witches and wizards. Obviously this didn't sit well with the others. Even Hufflepuff's kindness could only go so far. Eventually Slytherin realized no one agreed with him, so he left."

"But what does any of this have to with the Chamber of Secrets?" Susan asked.

"I'm getting to that," Tobias said, "Well, Slytherin left, but there are rumors that Slytherin left behind a secret chamber, one he built without the knowledge of the others while the school was going up. An entrance only he knew of, and he, or one of his descendants, and only them would be able to open. Lying within the chamber is supposedly a massive creature that only he can control."

"Is that what attacked Mrs. Norris?" Rodger asked, looking frightened.

"No idea," Tobias said with a shrug, "It's only a legend, after all."

"So what was with the message?" Oliver looked over at Elizabeth, "We heard it was something about 'the heir's enemies'?"

"'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware'," Elizabeth cited softly.

"What does that mean?" Megan asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ernie replied, "It's the heir of Salazar Slytherin himself. He's here at Hogwarts and wants to try and finish what Slytherin started. He wants to rid the school of Muggle-borns."

"Well, we know he won't succeed," Tobias said with a confident grin that caused a funny feeling in Elizabeth's stomach, "Especially as long as Hufflepuffs are around. We'll make sure everyone gets to learn."

"Not to mention the teachers will keep everyone safe."

It was a new voice, and Elizabeth looked up to see her brother had come over. He was standing next to the couch with his arms crossed over his chest, and Cedric was next to him.

"You really shouldn't be frightening the second years like this, Marsh," Cedric said, "The story is just that, a story. The chamber doesn't actually exist."

"Then what's with that message?" Justin asked.

"Some kid playing a prank," Lewis replied with a shrug.

"And Mrs. Norris?" Elizabeth asked, "Professor Dumbledore said she was Petrified. That's serious dark magic."

"It was a cat, not one of the students," Lewis said, though he looked disgusted at the idea all the same.

"It's just some seriously disturbed student playing a sick idea of a prank," Cedric said, "Don't worry, the teachers will find out who's behind this and I'm sure they'll be expelled."

Elizabeth hoped they were right, but somehow, she had a gut feeling that there was more to this than a simple prank...

**xxxxx**

That day after dinner, Elizabeth met with Harry, Ron, and Hermione just outside the Great Hall for them to walk together up to the library. As they walked, she quickly explained in whispers what Tobias had told her and the other second years about the legend of the Chamber of Secrets.

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron said once Elizabeth was done, "But I never knew he started all that pure-blood stuff. I wouldn't be in his House if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've gotten on the train straight back home."

"Hear, hear," Elizabeth said, "Anyone who believes that if you don't have magical blood, you shouldn't be able to learn...I don't ever want to be associated with that."

Hermione was nodding in agreement, but Elizabeth noticed Harry seemed oddly quiet. Elizabeth slowed her pace to match Harry's and was just about to ask if something was wrong when Ron spoke up again.

"Do you _really_ think there's a Chamber of Secrets?"

"Lewis says there isn't," Elizabeth looked up towards him, "He and Cedric believe that it's just some story. But I'm not sure...They seemed pretty upset that Tobias had told us about it."

"Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris," Hermione added, "And that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be—well—human."

They'd made it to the library and went to their usual spot over by the windows. Elizabeth pulled out her Transfiguration essay, just for the appearance of doing homework while they talked.

"Cedric and Lewis think it could be a sick prank," Elizabeth said once they were all settled, "That some student is behind this and will get expelled."

"I don't know," Hermione said, shaking her head, "What if there really is an heir of Slytherin here?"

"Anything's possible..." Elizabeth replied slowly, "Who could it be?"

"Let's think," Ron said sarcastically, "Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy—"

"Of course I am! You heard him—'You'll be next, Mudbloods!'—come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him—"

"But you heard Dumbledore," Elizabeth reasoned, "No second year could have petrified Mrs. Norris. Whatever happened to her was very powerful, advanced dark magic."

"Hermione said it could be a creature," Harry pointed out, "All he'd have to do is open up the chamber and let whatever's inside attack. It sounds like something he'd do. Malfoy would never do the dirty work himself, he'd think it would be beneath him. He'd make someone, or something, else do it."

Elizabeth had to admit, Harry had a point. The idea of someone opening the chamber, and letting someone else do his bidding, attacking the students...That sounded like something Malfoy would do. Just sit back and let some creature do everything and take all the credit himself.

"There's still the issue of proving it," she said, absentmindedly flipping through the pages of her _Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_. Maybe if she pointed out the issues, the others wouldn't want to pursue it. Talking theories was one thing, but she didn't want a repeat of last year.

Hermione stared off across the library, that distant look she got on her face when she was thinking something over. Elizabeth didn't like that look. It meant they were about to get into trouble. Didn't they have enough of that already?

"There might be a way," Hermione said quietly, "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect—"

"If, in a month or so," Ron cut in, "You feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?"

"All right," Hermione snapped, "What we need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it's us."

"There's no way we could do that," Elizabeth said simply.

"Yes, we can. All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."

"Some what?" Elizabeth asked in confusion as Ron and Harry chorused with "What's that?"

"It transforms you into someone else," Hermione said, "Think about it! We could change into four of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."

"We should just stay out of this," Elizabeth said, "Do any of you remember last year? All the trouble we got in? How we could have easily been killed?"

"And Quirrell would have gotten the Philosopher's Stone for Voldemort if we hadn't gone," Harry said, and Elizabeth jerked a little at the name.

"Have you forgotten you two are one mistake away from being expelled?" she retorted, pointing between Ron and Harry, "What if we get caught?"

"We'll just have to make sure we don't," Hermione said confidently, "Of course, getting the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called_ Moste Potente Potions_ and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library..."

"Meaning we need a teacher's signed permission," Elizabeth said, fighting not to sound relieved. There was no way a teacher would let a group of second years into the Restricted Section for a dark magic book.

"I think that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory," Hermione said softly, "We might stand a chance..."

"Oh come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," Ron said, rolling his eyes, "They'd have to be really thick."

"We'll just leave this to the teachers," Elizabeth said, "It's exactly what we should be doing. They know what they're doing."

"Except that Dumbledore has no idea what attacked Mrs. Norris," Harry pointed out.

"And Professors Sprout and Snape will be able to revive her once the mandrakes are mature," Elizabeth countered, "Let's just leave it to them. I'm sure it won't take much for them to find out who was behind the attack."

Unfortunately, as Elizabeth looked down to her Transfiguration essay, she had a sinking feeling that this wasn't going to be the end of it. She could see the look on Harry's face. He was thinking of some plan. Like it or not, it seemed she was going to end up in a lot of trouble again this year...


	10. Chapter Ten

_**Chapter Ten:**_

Though the first few days after Halloween were all about the attack, it wasn't long before the talk was turning to Quidditch. The first match was that weekend, after all, and it was Gryffindor against Slytherin. Even the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws wanted Gryffindor to win this match because it meant Slytherin would lose. It would prove to the Slytherins that it takes more than bribing your way onto the team to be a talented player. Fast brooms meant nothing against talent. Elizabeth was glad the talk of the attack was over.

Though her hopes that they were going to stay out of trouble were ruined that Thursday after classes. She was walking towards dinner after Transfiguration, walking alone since she had stayed behind to ask Professor McGonagall about something from her last homework assignment, when she heard Hermione's voice coming from her bag. Elizabeth stopped, pulling out her little mirror she kept safely wrapped in a side pocket, and ducked behind an old statue to hold the mirror up and see Hermione's face staring back at her.

"Come meet us at Myrtle's bathroom," she said quickly.

Elizabeth didn't have a chance to respond as Hermione had put the mirror away again. Elizabeth gave a sigh, putting away her own and started up the stairs. She had no idea what this was about. What was so important that they had to meet in an unused bathroom, haunted by a gloomy ghost? Why couldn't they just meet in the library like usual?

Elizabeth made it up to the corridor, trying not to look at the large, red letters on the wall that Filch had yet to find a way to remove. She went through the door marked 'out of order' and found Hermione was at one of the broken sink, flipping through the pages of an old book while Ron and Harry were looking over her shoulders, both looking very uncomfortable about being in a girl's bathroom.

"What's this about?" Elizabeth asked, "Why are we meeting in here?"

"Because no one ever comes in here," Hermione replied, "We're guaranteed not to be overheard or caught."

"Caught doing what?" Elizabeth asked slowly, "What's that book?"

"_Moste Potente Potions_," Hermione said simply, "We got Professor Lockhart to sign for it so we could get it out of the Restricted Section."

"The idiot didn't even look to see what we wanted."

"He's not an idiot!" Hermione snapped, glaring at Ron over her shoulder.

Elizabeth agreed with Ron abut Lockhart being an idiot, but she wasn't going to say so. She didn't want to argue with Hermione over a teacher. Besides, her focus was on something else.

"You're still wanting to go through with this?" she asked, "Hermione, we could all be expelled!"

"We've been telling her that," Ron said as Hermione slammed the book shut and glared at them.

"Well, if you are all going to chicken out, fine. I don't want to break school rules, you know. I think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight up to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in—"

"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," Ron said, as Elizabeth felt a jab of guilt. She often forgot that Hermione was, in fact, Muggle-born. Something like that never meant anything to her. She couldn't imagine what Hermione had to be thinking, knowing someone wanted to go after Muggle-borns. Go after people like her...

"Okay, we'll do it," Elizabeth said quietly, "What all will this potion involve?"

"A lot," Hermione said, looking relieved she was getting help as she opened the book again, "This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen. Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass...Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves...Oooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn—don't know where we're going to get that—shredded skin of a boomslang—that'll be tricky too—and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."

"Excuse me?" Ron asked, "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it—"

"We don't have to worry about that yet," Hermione shot Ron a glare, "Those are added last."

"How long will it take to make, anyway?" Harry asked.

"Well, since the fluxweed as hot to be picked at a full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days...I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."

"A month?" Elizabeth felt sick at that. How many students could get attacked by then?

But this was the only plan they had. Elizabeth still thought the best plan was leaving it to the teachers, but it seemed Hermione was determined to go through with this. Elizabeth couldn't blame her, given the situation. All she could do now was help and hope they didn't get into any trouble.

**xxxxx**

Saturday morning, Elizabeth woke up to the room darker than usual. She put on her glasses and looked to the window on the walls over her head and saw the grass swaying more than usual. It seemed a storm was rolling in and Elizabeth heard one of her roommates groan.

"Miserable day for Quidditch," Sally-Anne said, frowning at the window herself.

"Maybe we'll get lucky and the storm will hold off until after the match," Hannah said hopefully.

"Well, if it does rain," Susan said, "It'll just mean better chance for Gryffindor to beat Slytherin. Slytherin's probably wishing they could postpone the match so they wouldn't have to play in the rain."

There were laughs of agreement as the girls got dressed and headed upstairs for breakfast. As they entered the Great Hall, she didn't see the group of red that was the Gryffindor Quidditch team, so she assumed Harry and the others had already gone down to the pitch. Elizabeth sat down with her friends, grabbing herself some bacon and toast.

"There's no way Slytherin is going to win," Oliver was saying, "They might have fast brooms, but they don't have any talent. Especially with someone like Malfoy on the team."

"It takes more than money to be a good Seeker," Elizabeth said, "And I bet Gryffindor is going to prove that."

The group of Hufflepuffs all ate their breakfast quickly and made their way down to the Quidditch pitch, wanting to get good seats. At least, Elizabeth wanted a good seat towards the front of the stands. She didn't like being in the middle of the crowds. She didn't like feeling like she was being closed in on.

"Oh, it's freezing out here," Megan said, rubbing her arms as she looked around.

"Of course it is, it's about to start raining," Rodger replied from Elizabeth's left.

Megan and Rodger began an argument over whether or not the weather could depict if it was cold or warm, with arguments that storms in the summer often made things humid and hot. Elizabeth just tuned them out as the stands began to fill with students around them. Again, Elizabeth was glad to be towards the front, with the open air of the pitch in front of her.

It wasn't too long before Madam Hooch was out on the field and Elizabeth told the others to stop arguing, that the match was going to begin soon.

The Slytherin team came out onto the pitch, to the boos of three-fourths of the stands. Soon after, it was the Gryffindor team coming out. It was suddenly like someone flipped a switch with the volume. The cheers from Slytherin became boos, while the rest of the stands were the ones erupting in cheers now. Elizabeth clapped and screamed along with the rest of the Hufflepuffs as the two teams shot into the air.

It was immediately apparent that, even if they might not have the talent, speedy brooms did give the Slytherins an advantage. Within the first ten minutes, they'd already scored twice. Elizabeth groaned on both of those accounts, sinking in her chair as the rain began to fall. The Slytherins were left as only green blurs through the rain. Not that Elizabeth could see much as the rain kept streaking her glasses. She kept wiping the rain away just to have it smear over her glasses again.

"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked as she heard Lee announcing Slytherin making a sixth score some minutes later.

"The Gryffindor beaters have been circling Potter a lot," Justin said, "One of the Bludgers keeps going after him instead of other players."

"Think one of the Slytherins tampered with it?" Lewis asked behind them.

"Wouldn't put it past those cheating gits," Susan said bitterly.

Elizabeth wiped her glasses just in time to hear a whistle blow and see the Gryffindor team going for a landing. It seems they called a time out. It was only a few minutes before they took to the air again, though Elizabeth noticed Harry was flying off on his own. Fred and George weren't keeping close to him anymore.

"What's he _thinking_?" Elizabeth asked, holding her hand cupped over her glasses to keep them from being rain-smeared again, staring up at Harry. He was flying hard, trying to avoid the Bludger that wouldn't stay away from him. Elizabeth completely forgot about the rest of the match. She kept her gaze on Harry.

Elizabeth let out a shriek when the Bludger slammed into Harry's arm. He seemed to have been distracted for just a moment, stopping near where Malfoy was. It had been a mistake. The Bludger that'd been stalking him had finally hit home. Harry bucked forward, sliding slightly on his broom, but managed to stay airborne, his right arm dangling at his side now. The Bludger changed direction, heading back for Harry and, to Elizabeth's horror, Harry drove forward. Straight at Malfoy.

"What's he doing?!" Hannah shrieked, "Is he attacking Malfoy?"

"I think he's seen the Snitch!" Cedric said excitedly.

Harry seemed to grab at something in the air, then began falling forward, doing in an odd sort of dive straight for the ground—then hit the mud, rolling off the broom. Elizabeth let out a cry, starting off through the crowd and down the stands towards the field. Was Harry okay? What happened? Would the Bludger still go after him?

As Elizabeth reached the field, the Gryffindor team had already landed around Harry. Fred and George were fighting with the Bludger now, and Dumbledore's amplified voice was calling for students to head back to the castle, though Gryffindors were starting to come down around Quidditch team as well.

"Ah, yes, well that can sometimes happen," Lockhart's voice was coming from the center of the crowd, "But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing—ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, would you escort him?"

A moment later, Elizabeth saw Hermione and Ron coming out of the crowd, supporting Harry between them. Elizabeth saw Harry's right arm was limp at his side, then she suddenly felt sick. It wasn't just limp. It was like he had no arm, and in its place was some type of long glove shaped to resemble an arm.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked, hurrying after her friends as they were on their way to the castle.

"That Bludger broke my arm," Harry said, "I wanted to just go up to the hospital wing, but Lockhart decided he should try and fix it himself."

"What was he thinking?" Elizabeth asked, "This should be left to professional healers!"

"He was only trying to help!" Hermione said in a high voice.

"Hermione, he deboned Harry's arm!"

"Anyone can make a mistake. Besides, it doesn't hurt anymore, right, Harry?"

"No, but it doesn't do anything else either," Harry said simply.

They soon reached the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased. She spent the entire time Harry was changing behind a screen—with Ron's help due to the limp arm—complaining about the dangers of sports and teachers who had no clue what they were doing. She refused to let Elizabeth and the others stay long, shooing them out of the hospital wing almost as soon as Harry was settled in a bed.

"I should get back to my common room," Elizabeth said, staring down at her drenched clothes from the rain, "Better to get in warm clothes. How about we meet up and visit Harry in the morning?"

Ron and Hermione agreed, heading off up the stairs and Elizabeth turned, heading off for the Hufflepuff common room on her own.


	11. Chapter Eleven

_**Chapter Eleven:**_

Elizabeth overslept the next morning, so she opted to skip breakfast and went straight for the hospital wing to meet up with the others. However, as she reached the hospital wing, neither Ron nor Hermione were there. She was a bit confused, wondering why they hadn't shown up to see Harry that morning.

Harry was eating as Elizabeth came in, and Madam Pomfrey was in her office so Elizabeth hurried over to Harry, grinning at him.

"Feeling better?" she asked as she sat down, looking a bit longingly at Harry's tray of food. Maybe she shouldn't have skipped breakfast...

"Loads," Harry said, "Arm's stiff, but I'm better. Want some?"

"What?" Elizabeth glanced up to Harry holding out a sausage. Apparently, he'd noticed Elizabeth's look. She grinned a little and took the food, biting into it with a thanks. She glanced around the room for the first time, then noticed closed curtains around one of the beds.

"Colin was attacked last night," Harry said quietly, glancing towards the door where Madam Pomfrey was in her office, "The boy with the camera who follows me around? Apparently he was trying to sneak up here to see me and was petrified."

Elizabeth felt sick at that. Whatever this was, it was attacking students now? Attacking a pet was one thing, but going after the students...Elizabeth had a sinking feeling this wasn't just a prank. Whatever it was, it was extremely dangerous. Again, Elizabeth started thinking she and her friends needed to step back, let adults handle this...She wasn't sure if she should say so, though. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all seemed pretty determined to see this through.

Harry finished his food, so the two headed out of the hospital wing together.

"Have you seen Hermione and Ron?" Harry asked.

"No, I haven't," Elizabeth said, "We all agreed to meet up at the hospital wing last night, so it's weird they aren't here."

"Elizabeth!"

Harry and Elizabeth both jumped slightly, then Elizabeth realized it was coming from the pocket of her robes. She dug in and fished out the little mirror to find Ron staring back at her.

"Where are you two?" Elizabeth asked, "I'm with Harry—"

"Just meet us at Myrtle's bathroom," Ron said, "Hermione wants to get started on the potion."

Elizabeth glanced at Harry at that, then the two made their way to the second floor, where the horrid writing still shone. The two made sure no one was watching before slipping into the out-of-order bathroom and found Hermione and Ron in one of the bathroom stalls, a cauldron resting over the toilet seat. It turned out, they were getting the potion started because they heard Professor McGonagall talking with Professor Flitwick about Colin's attack.

"There's something else," Harry said, "I was waiting until we found you two, so I could tell all of you at once. Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."

"He what?" Elizabeth asked. Did this mean he was one of the Hogwarts house elves? Lewis had told Elizabeth that there were at least a hundred house eves living at Hogwarts. Taking care of the food, keeping the common rooms and dormitories clean, doing laundry...If this Dobby was from here...

'_No, Harry said Dobby talked about being a part of family that treats him badly,'_ Elizabeth thought,_ 'The Hogwarts elves are well taken care of.'_

"He told me he was the one who enchanted that Bludger yesterday," Harry said, "He wanted to injure me enough to send me home, away from Hogwarts. And he said something else...Well, _didn't_ say. He mentioned history repeating itself. So that means this has happened before."

"What?" Elizabeth, eyes widened, "Someone's opened the Chamber of Secrets before?"

"This settles it," Ron said, in a tone as if they'd just been told Gryffindor won the House Cup, "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it—"

"We should go to a teacher with this," Elizabeth said, "Or better, Professor Dumbledore."

"We don't have any proof," Harry said, "Do you think they'll believe a group of second years?"

"You're right," Elizabeth gave a sigh, looking over to the potion. Maybe they could get through this, get their proof, and then hand this over to teachers...Then they'd be done with it. No more breaking rules.

**xxxxx**

"It's a fake."

"How do you know?"

"Merlin, how are you so dense? These things are never real."

Elizabeth groaned, rolling her eyes at the ceiling of their dormitory ceiling. Her roommates were comparing several of the talismans that had been circling the school. Ever since the news of Colin being Petrified got out, these so-called 'protective items' began being traded and sold around the castle.

"My mum's a healer," Elizabeth said, looking over to where Megan and Hannah were arguing, Hannah clutching an amulet she'd traded a box of Bertie Bott's for that morning, "She sees people come in with them a lot. I doubt that one is, this is a bunch of students. But she says those things are more often than not cursed."

Hannah dropped the amulet quickly, staring at it with wide eyes.

"See, I told you it was fake," Megan said, rolling her eyes.

"Enough, all of you," Sally-Anne said, "You don't even have to worry about the attacks, Hannah, you're pure-blood."

"I was actually thinking about giving it to you," Hannah said, her face flushing.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the girls. Sally-Anne was a Muggle-born. Again, Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder how they had to feel, worrying that they could be the next person attacked...

"Professor Sprout will make sure the mandrakes are grown healthy," Susan said confidently, "And Creevey will be restored. The teachers will figure out who's behind this and we don't have anything to worry about."

"Exactly," Elizabeth said, "Besides, Christmas holidays start in a few weeks. A break away from classes will be good."

"I can't believe you're staying," Susan said, shaking her head.

Elizabeth had written home asking to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays, explaining that Harry didn't really have a family and she'd like to stay at the school for him. Her mother had written back it was okay, but she did stress strongly in the letter that Elizabeth had better behave herself.

"It's not like I'm staying alone," Elizabeth said. There were a couple of Hufflepuffs staying the holidays. Including, to Elizabeth's embarrassment, Tobias Marsh. She tried not to think about that one.

But surprisingly enough, Draco Malfoy was staying as well. Harry and the others decided that the Christmas holidays would be the opportune time to use the potion, once it was done.

"We'd better get going," Sally-Anne said, getting up, "We don't want to be late for the first dueling club meeting."

That morning, there had been a notice in the great hall about a dueling club starting up, which everyone seemed to think was a good idea. It'd be a better way to defend themselves than fake talismans and amulets.

The five girls got up, heading off to the Great Hall, where they were met by the rest of their Housemates. Elizabeth saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione close by and waved to them with a grin, but stayed with the Hufflepuffs.

It wasn't long after they got there when Elizabeth gave a groan as Professors Lockhart and Snape came in. Of course it'd be her luck that the two teachers of the whole staff she didn't want to deal with would be the ones teaching them dueling...

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club," Professor Lockhart said once he got everyone quieted down, "To train you all in case you need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions—for full details, see my published works."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, though she noticed others, especially Susan, were paying close attention. Elizabeth couldn't imagine having to go through another five years of this man as a teacher. How had her aunt managed seven years of schooling with him as a classmate?

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape. He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry—you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

Elizabeth doubted Professor Lockhart could do anything to Professor Snape. Especially with the look Snape was giving him.

The two professors went on to give instructions, though it was more Lockhart rambling on about what to do. They faced each other on the platform in the middle of the room and Lockhart counted down, then Snape pointed his wand, crying "_Expelliarmus_!" In the next second, there was a red flash and Lockhart was thrown from the platform. Sally-Anne let out a small squeal while the Slytherins were cheering.

"I hope he's all right!" Megan said, leaning up on her toes, using Justin as a prop to keep balance.

"He was asking for it," Rodger muttered next to Elizabeth, "Bragging all the time..."

"That's mean," Elizabeth said, even though she privately agreed. Lockhart really needed to learn to stop bragging about the work he did, when any Auror was capable of the same thing.

"We, there you have it!" Lockhart said, climbing back onto the platform, "That was a Disarming Charm—as you see, I've lost my wand—ah, thank you, Miss Brown—Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have only been too easy—however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Seemed to her that Snape was faster with his wand than Lockhart, and Lockhart was just covering and making it seem like he meant for it to happen.

Lockhart and Snape began splitting people into pairs. Elizabeth at least counted herself lucky that Lockhart reached them first and she was paired with Ernie. She glanced over towards Harry, Ron and Hermione and saw Snape had gotten to them. Ron was with Seamus Finnigan of Gryffindor, Harry was with Malfoy, and Hermione with some large Slytherin girl that Elizabeth didn't know the name of. She felt sorry for Harry and Hermione...

"Wands at the ready," Lockhart called out, "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents—_only_ to disarm them—we don't want any accidents."

Lockhart gave a countdown, and on three, Elizabeth cried '_Expelliarmus'_, mimicking Snape's movement earlier. Ernie, like Lockhart in the demonstration, was knocked backwards, falling onto his back. Elizabeth yelped and hurried over, kneeling next to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, though Ernie laughed.

"You're pretty good," he said, sitting up and grabbing his wand. People were shouting around them. It seemed half the students had ignored 'disarm only' and were shouting any jinx they could think of at each other.

Lockhart was calling for people to settle down, though no one seemed to be listening. Elizabeth and her fellow Hufflepuffs were trying to keep their heads down, and Elizabeth noticed Justin nearby on the floor, him and Neville Longbottom both panting. Elizabeth wondered if Longbottom had messed up a spell somehow again.

"_Finite Incantatem_!"

A green smoke filled the room and everything fell silent. Elizabeth got up, looking around where most of the room had stopped dueling, and Harry was struggling with the large Slytherin girl to get her to let Hermione go. Elizabeth was about to hurry over and help when Harry finally managed it on his own.

"I think I'd better teach you how to _block_ unfriendly spells," Lockhart was saying from the platform, looking around the room, "Let's have a volunteer pair—Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you—"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," Snape cut in as Justin was starting forward eagerly. He stopped and looked disappointed not to get to show off for his hero and Elizabeth resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells," Snape went on, and Longbottom's face went red, "We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox. How about Malfoy and Potter?"

Elizabeth looked over at Harry and gave him an encouraging grin as he climbed onto the platform with Malfoy. Lockhart pulled Harry aside as Snape did the same for Malfoy, and Elizabeth really didn't like the smirks on Snape and Malfoy's faces, her stomach twisting into knots...

Lockhart counted the two down, then Malfoy called out "_Serpensortia_!" In an instant, a long, black snake shot from Malfoy's wand, landing in the middle of the platform and raised itself towards Harry. Elizabeth let out a light shriek, as did many others, and she backed away quickly.

Snape moved forward, but Lockhart was faster, pointing his wand at the snake. There was a bang, the snake flew into the air, then hit the ground with a thud. This time right in front of Justin. Elizabeth yelped and moved forward, grabbing her friend by the arm, at the same time Harry stepped forward, opening his mouth.

But what came out was not words. Instead, harry made a string of hissing and clicking noises that made Elizabeth's blood run cold and her eyes widened, her grip tightening on Justin's arm. Her heart was pounding. She couldn't believe it...

Harry Potter, one of her best friends, was a Parselmouth.

**xxxxx**

Elizabeth couldn't get to sleep that night, just tossing and turning in bed. She didn't get a chance to talk with Harry after the dueling club. Hermione and Ron had hurried Harry out of the Great Hall after Snape Vanished the snake. Elizabeth didn't follow. Instead, she'd stayed with her House. She kept trying to tell herself that it was because she wanted to help calm down Justin—And Sally-Anne, who was both panicked and confused. But the truth was, she'd been afraid herself.

Her best friend was a Parselmouth. That, added to the voices he'd been hearing, a voice that led him to morbid writing on the wall...Elizabeth didn't know what to think. Talking to snakes was one of the biggest associations with Dark Arts. Especially considering that it was a trademark of Salazar Slytherin...

Could Harry really be the heir to someone as horrible as Salazar Slytherin? If so, why did he end up in Gryffindor instead?

It was early before Elizabeth finally got to sleep, and when she woke up the next morning, she felt a familiar tightening in her stomach, a familiar sense of sickness and dread. It was the same thing that hit her on Halloween. The day Harry led them to that writing. Elizabeth didn't like it.

A blizzard was raging outside, leading Herbology to be cancelled. Elizabeth had been hoping to talk to Harry. Maybe he and the others would be in the library...Elizabeth decided not to eat breakfast—her stomach was twisting in on itself too much to think about food—and made her way to the library. If Harry, Ron, and Hermione weren't there, she'd go back to the common room and get her mirror.

Elizabeth didn't find her Gryffindor friends, but she did find her fellow Hufflepuffs all grouped together, aside from Justin. Elizabeth made her way over, sitting with them.

"Believe me now, Elizabeth?" Ernie asked, "Potter is bad news. You saw what he did last night."

"He wasn't trying to attack Justin," Elizabeth said hotly. She'd hoped that the day wouldn't start off with this argument, "Why would he want to?"

"Because Justin's Muggle-born," Ernie said, "I told him to hide in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as his next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born—"

"Harry's not the one behind this!" Elizabeth said.

"He's a Parselmouth! Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue."

"You can't judge someone just on something they were born with," Elizabeth countered, though her voice was quiet. She'd been worried just the night before over the same thing. Harry sharing a trait with Dark wizards...

"Then what about what was written on the wall?" Ernie asked, "_Enemies of the Heir, Beware._ Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch, you were even there, Elizabeth. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him while he was lying in the mud. Next thing we know—Creevey's attacked."

"He always seems so nice, though," Hannah said softly, "And, well, he's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. He can't be all bad, can he?"

"No one knows how he survived that attack by You-Know-Who," Ernie whispered, leaning forward, "I mean to say, he was only a baby when it happened. He should have been basted to smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that—"

"That's not true!" Elizabeth hissed, "I've been friends with him for over a year! Harry is not like that!"

"You didn't even know he's a Parselmouth, Elizabeth," Ernie countered, "What else could he be hiding?"

Elizabeth didn't know how to respond to that one. Ernie was right. She had had no idea Harry could talk with snakes...Maybe Ernie was right, she didn't know Harry as well as she thought...

Someone cleared their throat behind them and Elizabeth jumped, looking up to see Harry had come around the edge of a shelf of books. Elizabeth felt heat rush to her face, while her Housemates looked horrified.

"Hello," Harry said, "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."

"What do you want with him?" Ernie asked, trying to sound brave.

"I wanted to tell him what really happened with the snake at the Dueling Club."

"I've been trying to tell them you wouldn't attack anyone," Elizabeth said, trying to ignore the doubts swimming in the back of her mind, "They won't listen."

"That's because we were all there," Ernie said, "We saw what happened."

"Then you noticed after I spoke to it," Harry's voice was giving away his annoyance, "The snake backed off?"

"All I saw was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake toward Justin."

"I didn't chase it at him! It didn't even _touch_ him!"

"It was a very near miss," Ernie said, "Ask Elizabeth, she was right there beside him."

"I..." Elizabeth felt her face growing red as Harry's glare turned towards her, "Listen, Ernie, why would Harry want to attack Muggle-borns? He's never had a problem with them."

"You've told us he hates those Muggles he lives with."

"It's not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them," Harry said sharply, "I'd like to see you try it."

Elizabeth shrank back as Harry gave her another glare, then turned and stomped off. Elizabeth stared after him, then turned to her friends.

"In case you forgot, Hermione, who's one of our friends, is Muggle-born," she said.

"Yes, but she's also the smartest in our year and really talented," Rodger said, "Maybe Potter's making an exception for her?"

"Harry's not attacking anyone!" Elizabeth hissed.

"And how do you know for sure?" Ernie's voice rose as well, "It all points to him!"

"Enough!"

Elizabeth jumped, turning to see Madam Pince had come over, looking livid, "Martin, MacMillan, out of my library if you can't keep your voices down!"

Elizabeth and Ernie didn't have any choice. Not wanting to face Madam Pince down, the two left the library, but Ernie seemed just as reluctant to drop the argument as Elizabeth was as they started down the hall. Elizabeth was trying to ignore the fact the feeling of dread and tightening in her stomach was growing even stronger now.

"Why are you defending him?" Ernie asked, "You saw what he did last night, and he's never told you he's a Parselmouth!"

"Harry says he wasn't attacking Justin," Elizabeth shot back, "He's my friend, I believe him."

At least, she tried to convince herself she did. After all, Harry didn't seem the type to attack people. And even though Creevey annoyed him, Harry wouldn't do this to anyone...

"ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATAAAACK!"

"Was that Peeves?" Elizabeth asked, her heart pounding. What happened now?

Ernie took off up the stairs and Elizabeth followed close behind. That dread in her was overwhelming, that sickening feeling like right before they uncovered the words on the wall on Halloween...

They rounded a corner and saw crowds of students coming from classrooms, with Professor McGonagall somewhere out of sight calling for everyone to go back. The corridor slowly emptied and Elizabeth and Ernie hurried down, though both stumbled to a stop, Elizabeth's eyes widening and her hands clamping over her mouth, feeling sick.

"Caught in the act!" Ernie called, pointing at Harry in front of them.

And he wasn't alone. Frozen, as if a statue, on the ground behind Harry was Justin. And floating in the air, turned black and smoky, was Nearly Headless Nick. Two more attacked. And Harry was right there in the middle of it.


	12. Chapter Twelve

_**Chapter Twelve:**_

Elizabeth didn't get a chance to talk to Harry, Ron, or Hermione at all that day. She'd stayed with her House, though it was a quiet night. They were all worried about Justin. Elizabeth couldn't get the image of her friend frozen, laying on the floor of the corridor...She already missed Justin. How he and Sally-Anne would sit together and talk non-stop about Muggle things that Elizabeth always had no idea what they were talking about. How none of them seemed able to beat him in a game of Wizard Snap...It was always so frustrating losing to him, but now she just wished he was around again. She'd let herself lose a dozen times just to have her friend back.

It wasn't until the following day after breakfast that Elizabeth finally broke away from her House, meeting Harry, Ron, and Hermione in an empty classroom.

"Harry, I _know_ you didn't attack Justin," Elizabeth said for the third time, "I know that. I'm just saying that I can understand why Ernie and the others do—"

"Yeah, when you go telling them how I hate my family and I chased the snake to Justin."

"I did not tell them you sent the snake on Justin!" Elizabeth said, heat rushing to her face, "Ernie's only saying that because I was right next to Justin at the club meeting!"

"Both of you stop it!" Hermione said, "We all know Harry's not behind this. All we have to do is wait for the Polyjuice Potion to finish. Then we'll be able to get an answer out of Malfoy."

"Won't be too hard," Ron said, "After all, he, Crabbe, and Goyle are probably going to be the only ones staying besides us."

All the students were far more scared now. After all, if something could attack a ghost like this, what else could it do? Because of that, there'd been a rush of last-minute change-of-minds after the attack on Justin and Nearly-Headless Nick. Several people who had been planning to stay for the holidays were now deciding to go home. Including Lewis, who was still trying to convince Elizabeth to come home with him. Elizabeth would always reply that she was staying for Harry. Though, always, in the back of her mind she kept wondering if she should just go home. Get away from all this for a while. Not be here when they went through with the Polyjuice Potion...

But still, Elizabeth stayed. She and Harry didn't get into an argument again, Harry even apologized for going off on her like that. Elizabeth knew he had to be going through a lot. After all, most of the school was avoiding him now. Even Elizabeth's Housemates were beginning to believe Ernie, that Harry was the one behind the attacks...Even she had doubted it for a bit, but then she had to remind herself that she knew Harry. She knew he wouldn't do anything like this.

It was odd, having the castle nearly empty once the Christmas holidays started, but it was also nice. For a while, they could forget about problems or people staring at Harry all the time. Elizabeth spent time playing wizard chess or exploding snap in the Great Hall with her friends, or out in the snow, making snowmen or getting into a snowball fight. There were even a few times Elizabeth and the others practiced a bit of dueling on their own. Elizabeth found she was quite bad at it.

She woke up early on Christmas morning to the empty room, as none of her roommates were staying for the holidays. There was a small group of presents on her bed and she grinned as she went through them.

There was a necklace and earrings from her mother, a broom care kit from Aunt Ginger, various candies from various people, a new quill and ink set from Hermione, and to Elizabeth's surprise, from Harry she got the Montrose Magpies bag she's been eyeing before the school year started.

Elizabeth suddenly felt guilty for her doubts the past week...There was no way Harry could be behind attacks like this. And so what if he was a Parselmouth? He was still her friend. That should be all that mattered.

That thought kept Elizabeth happy throughout the day, even with the news that the Polyjuice Potion was ready to use. Then there was the Great Hall's decorations for Christmas. She hadn't stayed the year before, so she hadn't seen them before. Like with the rest of the holiday so far, Elizabeth sat over at the Gryffindor table with her friends, admiring the holly and mistletoe hanging from the ceiling, a dozen decorated trees, and the enchanted snowfall that faded before reaching the tables.

Christmas dinner was as entertaining as it was delicious. They sang carols as they enjoyed magical crackers—Elizabeth got herself a new hat from one—and enjoying the food. Elizabeth ate more than she should have and was overstuffed by the time she finally left the table with her friends, though they'd barely reached the entrance hall when Hermione turned to them.

"We have a little problem," she said, "I was looking over the potion and there's only enough for three. One of us won't be able to go, not if we are going to be able to use a full hour."

Ron and Harry glanced over at Elizabeth, and she felt her face flush. She was sure what they were thinking. After all, she'd been voicing quite often how she thought they should avoid trouble, how she was against breaking rules. She was sure they expected her to back out of this.

"I'll take the potion," Elizabeth said, straightening herself up, "You did all the work, brewing the potion, getting the ingredients...I'll take it. I'll go with Harry and Ron down to the Slytherin common room."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Elizabeth said with a nod, "I want to do this. You can work on cleaning everything up."

"Okay," Hermione said with a nod, "We still need a bit of the people you're changing into. I have a hair for you, Elizabeth..." Hermione pulled out a small vile from her pocket, "Millicent Bulstrode left this on my robes when she was wrestling me at the Dueling Club. You can just tell everyone you came back for Christmas after all. But you two..." Hermione looked to Harry and Ron, "It'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoy's best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him."

"How are they supposed to get the hairs?" Elizabeth asked, looking to Harry and Ron, who both seemed confused.

"I've got it all worked out," Hermione said proudly as she held up a couple of chocolate cauldron cakes, "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."

"How did you get ahold of a Sleeping Draught?" Elizabeth asked.

"We need some larger robes," Hermione went on, ignoring Elizabeth as she handed Harry and Ron the cauldron cakes, "Can you get down to the laundry and sneak some, Elizabeth? I'm going to go check on the potion."

Hermione hurried off and Elizabeth looked over at the others, who matched her worried look with ones of their own.

"Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?" Ron asked.

"Yes, when we went after the Philosopher's Stone last year," Elizabeth said, then sighed, "But we should get going. Let's get this done and over with."

Elizabeth left Harry and Ron behind, heading down into the basement towards her common room. The laundry, like the kitchens, were close to the barrels that hid the Hufflepuff common room from the rest of the castle. Elizabeth hurried past it and rounded the corner, just to stumble to a stop as she heard her name. She turned around, then felt her face grow red as she tensed.

"Tobias!" she squeaked, seeing the Hufflepuff standing at that corner she just rounded.

"Hey," Tobias gave a grin, "I was coming heading down to the common room and saw you hurrying by. Is something wrong?"

"I..." Elizabeth stared at Tobias, her mind racing. What was she supposed to say? She was never good with lies. Besides, she needed to get to the laundry room. She needed to get those robes, get back up to the others in Myrtle's...

"Bathroom," Elizabeth blurted, then felt her face grow even warmer, "I...er...Pumpkin juice. Lots of it—"

"Say no more," Tobias raised his hands, "Sorry, go on. See you later."

Tobias turned and went back around the corner and Elizabeth groaned, covering her face with her hands. Bathroom, really? She'd just rambled to a cute guy that she drank too much and really had to pee. This day couldn't get any worse. Stealing robes and drinking a potion that could get them expelled? Sure. She could do that. Talk to a cute guy without embarrassing herself? Impossible.

Elizabeth reminded herself the others were waiting and forced herself to hurry on. She made it to the laundry room, finding three sets of robes that should be long enough, and made her way back upstairs. Luckily, she didn't run into anyone the entire way, soon slipping into Myrtle's bathroom. Harry and Ron were already there.

"What took you so long?" Hermione asked, standing near three cups of what looked like bubbling mud.

"Ran into someone," Elizabeth said, trying to ignore her face feeling warm again, "But I got the robes."

They all decided it was better to use separate stalls to take the potion, and Elizabeth locked herself into one, staring at the disgusting liquid in her hands. With the hair added, it'd turned this vile shade of yellow.

'_Here goes nothing,'_ Elizabeth thought, squeezing her eyes shut and chugging the drink down as quickly as she could. She gagged instantly. The stuff tasted like rotten lemons—something she learned the taste of from Bertie Bott's. It burned going down her throat, though that wasn't the worse of it. Elizabeth groaned, squatting in the stall and hugging her sides, her eyes squeezed shut. She felt her glasses slip off her face, and her entire body felt as if she were being poked by little needles, or thousands of insects crawling along her skin. Everything felt itchy. And something was pulling up on the sides of her face...

Just as quickly as it started, it stopped. Though Elizabeth still felt itchy. Somehow, her robes didn't feel tight...Shouldn't they be feeling tight on her? Bulstrode was a girl much bigger than she was...

Slowly, Elizabeth opened her eyes, then blinked. Her vision was still blurry. Shouldn't it be clearer now, seeing through Bulstrode's eyes? Elizabeth reached for her glasses on the floor and froze. Even with blurry vision she could see something was wrong. Her hand was black. And as she flexed her fingers, they felt thick. As if she were wearing gloves...

Shaking, Elizabeth pushed her glasses on, just for them to slip at an odd angle on her face. Panicked, she reached up and felt, only to feel nothing but something fuzzy where her ears should be...Her eyes widened and with one hand, she held her glasses on, then held up her other hand.

Fur. No wonder she felt like she was wearing gloves. Her hand was covered in fur.

"Are you two okay?" came a deep voice from nearby.

"Yeah," came another.

Elizabeth tensed, looking up. It seemed Harry and Ron's potions went okay. So what had gone wrong with hers?

"We'd better get going," Goyle's voice went on, "We've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is. I only hope we can find someone to follow..."

"You don't know how bizarre it is to see Goyle thinking," Crabbe's voice answered, then Elizabeth jumped as someone knocked on her door and Ron—now Crabbe—continued, "C'mon, we need to go."

"I...I can't," Elizabeth called back, "You two go."

"Elizabeth," Harry—Goyle—said, "We know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you—"

"That's not it," Elizabeth cut in, "Just go. You're wasting time."

"She's right," Hermione said, "Go on. I'll see what's wrong."

"Okay...We'll meet you back here."

There was the sound of people leaving, followed by a light knock on the door.

"Elizabeth, what is it?" Hermione called softly.

"Something went wrong with the potion," Elizabeth said weakly.

"What do you mean?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath, then turned and opened the door. Hermione gasped, her hands covering her mouth.

"You...You're a cat!" she said in disbelief.

"What?" Elizabeth moved past Hermione to the mirror, still holding her glasses up by one hand.

Hermione was right. She was covered in black fur, her eyes turned yellow, and there was a reason she couldn't keep her glasses on. Her nose had been flattened, and she had whiskers...and her ears were no longer where they should be. Instead, they were two pointed, black ears poking out from the top of her short brown hair. She felt something moving and glanced behind her, moving her robes from her clothes underneath. Poking out from under her sweater, above the hem of her skirt, was a long, curling black tail.

"The potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!" Hermione said.

There was a shrill laughing and Elizabeth spun around to see Myrtle floating nearby. Myrtle was _laughing_. Elizabeth hadn't thought the day could get worse after Tobias, but she was wrong. When a ghost known for flooding bathrooms in tantrums was laughing at you, you knew you hit rock bottom.

"Let's get out of here," Elizabeth said, pulling her robe hood over her head, "I just want to get to the hospital wing and get this fixed."

"What will we tell Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"I'll say I was practicing a transfiguration spell I found," Elizabeth said, "She never asks many questions."

Elizabeth was jumpy the entire way to the hospital wing. She kept hoping that no one—especially not Tobias—stumbled across her covered in fur. That would be the last thing she needed...

Luckily, however, they didn't run into anyone. And, as suspected, Madam Pomfrey didn't ask many questions. She seemed to accept Elizabeth's story of a backfired Transfiguration spell, and shooed Hermione away so Elizabeth could get settled in and Madam Pomfrey could figure out how to treat it.

'_Lewis is going to murder me,'_ Elizabeth thought, staring down at the fur over her hands. Madam Pomfrey had found a way for Elizabeth's glasses to stay on until her ears went back to normal, and she was thankful for it. It would get tiresome to try and hold her glasses up all the time.

But her brother definitely was not going to be happy when he found out she was in the hospital wing, turned into a cat person...After this, she was going to be lucky if he let her out of his sight from now until he finished his seventh year.

Elizabeth was still thinking on this over an hour later when Hermione returned with Harry and Ron, who were back to normal now. Both of them stopped, their eyes widening at the sight of Elizabeth covered in fur and she felt her face grow warm. She couldn't help but think the only good thing about being covered in fur was they couldn't see her blushing now.

"I told them what happened," Hermione said, sitting down, "They said they wanted to come visit, and tell both of us at once what they found out."

"Is Malfoy behind this?" Elizabeth asked, hoping they could get past her fur long enough to talk about why they risked being expelled.

"No," Harry whispered, shaking his head as he and Ron sat down, leaning forward, "He's not the heir and he doesn't know who is."

Elizabeth groaned, sinking back into the pillows.

"So I turned myself into a cat for nothing?" she asked.

"Not exactly," Harry said, "Malfoy did confirm that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before. Fifty years ago. He said a student died last time, and the person behind it was expelled."

Elizabeth tensed at that, the thought of a student being killed...

"I hope he's rotting in Azkaban," she said.

"We also found out that Dad raided the Malfoy manor, but didn't find anything," Ron said, but he was grinning brightly, "But Malfoy told us there was a hidden room under his drawing room. I'm planning to write Dad to let him know."

"Ha!" Elizabeth sat up a bit at that, grinning now, "So it wasn't a total waste! With any luck, the Malfoys will get caught with some Dark objects and get into loads of trouble for that!"

"All right, that's enough visit for one day," Madam Pomfrey hurried over, "Miss Martin needs rest now. You can come back tomorrow."

Elizabeth sighed, but told the others bye and settled back in the bed, accepting a steaming potion that Madam Pomfrey gave her. As she drank down the bitter concoction, she couldn't help but be thankful that it at least tasted better than Polyjuice Potion.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_**Chapter Thirteen:**_

When the second term started, and students returned from holidays, the moment Elizabeth dreaded came. Lewis came up to the hospital wing to visit her.

"What were you thinking, Elizabeth?" Lewis asked after he had sat down by her bed, "What did you and your friends get up to?"

"Nothing!" Elizabeth said, "I...I just found this Transfiguration spell I wanted to try, and it didn't work out..."

"What spell?"

Elizabeth faltered, looking down at her furry hands. Why did her brother have to be so smart?

"That's what I thought," Lewis said with a sigh, "I would write Mum, but I think this is enough. Maybe now you'll learn your lesson."

If anything, the past holiday taught her sometimes it's worth it. They'd learned Malfoy wasn't behind the attacks. They learned the Chamber of Secrets really had been opened before. And that person had been caught and expelled...It was more than they knew before. Elizabeth still thought that they should step back, but she also knew this was her friends. She was supposed to stand by them, no matter what trouble they got into. She didn't say that to Lewis, however. She knew better than that.

"Anyway, I did bring news from home," Lewis went on, "Xavier proposed to Aunt Ginger. They're already thinking about having the wedding next winter."

"Does that mean we'll have to start calling him Uncle Xavier?" Elizabeth asked. She'd met him a couple of times, and she had to admit, she really liked him. She just wasn't sure about calling him 'Uncle'.

"Actually, he told me he doesn't want us calling him anything but Xavier unless we decide otherwise," Lewis said with a grin, "He's a pretty okay guy."

"That's good," Elizabeth said, but didn't get a chance to talk more because Madam Pomfrey came over with a dose of medicine, telling Lewis he would have to visit later.

Elizabeth got a steady stream of visitors over the first day back from the holidays. The Hufflepuffs in her year—who all seemed to buy the story that she'd just suffered a messed up spell—trickled in throughout the day, in groups of two or three. To Elizabeth's utter embarrassment, she found out while she'd been asleep at one point, Tobias had come by and left a get well card on the nightstand. Of course he'd see her covered in fur...She never could get a lucky break, could she?

After that first few days, however, Madam Pomfrey only allowed her friends in. Harry, Ron, and Hermione visited for a while every day, and Ernie came by every afternoon with Susan and Hannah, bringing by Elizabeth's work. Elizabeth never thought she'd be happy to have schoolwork. But having something to do during the long days alone was nice, even if it was page-long essays.

One day in late January, Harry, Ron, and Hermione came by for their usual visit, just after Ernie had dropped off homework, though this time her friends brought her something as well. An old, blank diary with the name "T. M. Riddle" printed on it.

"What's the big deal about an empty diary?" Elizabeth asked as she turned it over in her hands, flipping through the blank pages.

"Well, we found it in Myrtle's bathroom," Harry said, "Someone tried to chuck it, but we don't know why."

Elizabeth looked over the diary, then her eyes widened as she noticed the date on it.

"This is fifty years old!" she said, looking up, "You said the Chamber was opened fifty years ago..."

"We thought the same thing," Hermione said, "But we've tried several things, there's nothing hidden in that diary."

"Then why did someone try to throw it away?" Elizabeth asked, looking the book over.

"That's what I've been wondering," Harry said, "I mean, it's an empty book. Why wouldn't you just chuck it in a bin or something? Why flush it down a toilet?"

It seemed the holidays had flipped a switch in Elizabeth over her views on bending rules and stepping back for mysteries. She still thought the teachers should handle things, but at the same time, this mystery of a flushed blank book nagged at her. She wanted to find out what was up with it...

So that was why, on the day Elizabeth was released from the hospital wing, she eagerly met up with her friends in the trophy room. Harry seemed as interested in the diary as Elizabeth did, and Hermione was intrigued, but Ron thought it was a complete waste of time.

Unfortunately, it seemed Ron was right. They hit a dead end at the trophy room. All they found was the trophy Ron said he cleaned endlessly during his detention at the beginning of the school year—A Special Services to the School, though it didn't say what for—and Riddle's name among a list of Head Boys, and on a Medal for Magical Merit.

"He sounds like Percy," Ron grumbled, "Prefect, Head Boy...Probably top of every class—"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Hermione said with a frown.

"There isn't anything wrong with it," Elizabeth said, "Riddle sounds like a great person. I mean, if he really did stop the attacks fifty years ago...I really wish there was some way we could figure it out."

"It's not like we can ask him," Ron said, rolling his eyes, "Why won't you just drop it?"

"Aren't you the least bit curious?" Elizabeth asked.

"Not really."

They were making their way back out of the trophy room, about to head back to the Great Hall for lunch. Elizabeth noticed Tobias further along the corridor with a group of friends and felt her face burn, remembering that he had shown up in the hospital wing while she'd been asleep. She instantly tried to duck behind Harry, hoping not to be noticed, but there was no luck. Tobias had looked up and waved at her with a grin. Elizabeth, her face burning, gave an awkward wave in return. Then, to her horror, Tobias started over towards her.

"Hey, Elizabeth," he said, "Good to see you're furless again."

"I..." Elizabeth started, looking towards her friends, though Hermione had started pushing the boys on towards the Great Hall, giving Elizabeth a 'good luck' sort of smile. Elizabeth made a mental note to strangle her later for abandoning her.

"I came by to see you at one point, but you were asleep," Tobias said, "Did you get my card?"

"Oh, yes, thanks," Elizabeth's voice squeaked slightly. She thought it was best not to mention that the card was now resting between pages of her _Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_.

"Don't mention it," Tobias said, "It really is nice to see you better. You're much cuter without cat ears."

Elizabeth's eyes widened and she knew her face had to be the color of a tomato now. Did Tobias really just call her cute?

"I...Yeah, I was released today," Elizabeth said lamely. Still, Tobias gave her a grin.

"It's really nice seeing you up and walking again," he said, "I'll see you around, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Elizabeth said with a nod, "Um, nice running into you."

"It's a small school," Tobias said, "But yeah. See you later."

Tobias left, and Elizabeth groaned, shaking her head. She was never going to be able to handle a normal conversation with him, was she?

**xxxxx**

Elizabeth's friends from Hufflepuff were all glad to see her out of the hospital wing, and it seemed to boost all their spirits. Elizabeth felt that maybe they were glad they didn't lose another of their House to the attacks on the school. Either way, it was nice not to be stuck in a bed all day, like she'd been for the past month.

Ernie was still convinced that Harry was behind the attacks, no matter how many times he and Elizabeth argued over it. Elizabeth got to where she avoided Ernie when she could, just to keep from arguing with him. She had no idea if the other Hufflepuffs suspected Harry, but they at least didn't bring up the subject anymore.

Elizabeth woke up early on Valentine's Day, though it wasn't odd for her to be up early. She got dressed quickly with her roommates, then noticed a card laying on her nightstand.

"What's this?" she asked, looking to the others.

"Tobias asked me to bring it to you last night," Megan said, "But you were already asleep."

Elizabeth blushed as she picked up the card, which simply had 'To Elizabeth' written on the front, then once she opened it, had 'Thinking of you. Happy Valentine's Day. Tobias.' Elizabeth couldn't help but grin. A Valentine's card was a bit cheesy, but the fact Tobias thought to send her one...She really needed to get control of herself. She needed to stop being a bumbling idiot whenever he was around and actually talk to him...

Elizabeth and the others made their way out of their room and Elizabeth looked around for Tobias to thank him, but she didn't see him in the common room. She would just have to thank him when she saw him later.

Though thoughts of thanking Tobias for a Valentine's card were wiped from Elizabeth's mind the second she walked into the Great Hall for breakfast. Pink and red flowers lined the walls, and streamers were stretched across the ceiling from where confetti in the shape of cheesy hearts was falling.

Susan and Megan were staring around with wide eyes, Sally-Anne looked horrified, and Hannah had broken into a fit of giggles. Elizabeth couldn't figure out what to think as the girls made their way to the Hufflepuff table, sitting down for breakfast.

"Who in their right mind would do all this?" Rodger asked, making a face.

"Give you one guess," Wayne said, nodding towards the staff table. Elizabeth followed their gaze and saw Lockhart was sitting in his usual spot, wearing a set of pink robes that perfectly matched the color of the flowers and confetti. Elizabeth couldn't help but notice the other teachers looked very much annoyed.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart called over breakfast, standing up and waving for attention, "And may I than the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards!"

Elizabeth glanced over at Susan and Hannah, who both started blushing.

"Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all—and it doesn't end here!" Lockhart went on, clapping his hands. Elizabeth looked over to see a group of dwarves come in, all dressed as cupids and looking annoyed.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" Lockhart went on, "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines!"

Elizabeth felt her face flush and was glad that Tobias had decided to send her card by one of her friends.

"And the fun doesn't stop here!" Lockhart said, "I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

"Thank Merlin we don't have Potions today," Rodger said, "Professor Snape looks livid."

"Unfortunately, we do have Defense Against the Dark Arts," Wayne added, "I'm sick of listening to Professor Lockhart talk about himself and his books."

"He'll most likely spend today talking about some woman who he ended up saving and she thanked him with dinner or something," Ernie said with a roll of his eyes.

If there was one good thing about the Valentine's Day disaster, it was Ernie seemed to decide he was done arguing with Elizabeth over whether or not Harry was Slytherin's heir. He was more interested in making fun of Lockhart, and talking about how annoying it was having their classes constantly interrupted by the dwarves delivering Valentine's notes. Elizabeth found out during evening break that Harry had received a rather embarrassing musical Valentine's earlier that morning and Elizabeth couldn't help but wish she had been there to see it, despite how Harry's face turned red when Ron was explaining what happened.

Elizabeth didn't get a chance to talk to Tobias until after dinner, when she found him in the Hufflepuff common room, working on a homework assignment.

"Um, mind if I sit down?" she asked as she came over. Tobias looked up at her and nodded.

"I was hoping for a chance to talk," he said.

Elizabeth grinned a bit, feeling her face flush, yet again, as she sat down.

"Thank you for the card," she said, "And thank you for not sending it by dwarf."

"I can't believe Professor Lockhart," Tobias said, shaking his head, "I had Potions before lunch. Professor Snape took points away from a Gryffindor for 'picking up an ingredient in the wrong way'. This was right after a dwarf interrupted to deliver Valentine's."

"Professor McGonagall refused to even let them in her classroom during Transfiguration," Elizabeth said, "And I think they were too afraid of her to try and cross her. They stopped trying to come in after the first time."

"You'd have to be mental to cross Professor McGonagall," Tobias said.

"Exactly!"

Elizabeth couldn't help but think it was really nice chatting with Tobias now. They had broken the ice, she was finally getting past her awkwardness, and she couldn't help but enjoy chatting with him. They sat there for over an hour, making fun of Lockhart and his Valentine's day celebrations. Though Elizabeth was very much aware of Lewis watching from the other side of the room, she tried to ignore him. She just focused instead on talking with Tobias, finally getting to know him, until it grew late and she had to bid him goodnight, though they promised to talk again soon.

Elizabeth was grinning as she went to her room, changing and curling up under her covers. She'd finally managed to have a conversation with Tobias without embarrassing herself. Something was finally going right.

And, as with everything else on her luck, it was at that moment when she heard Harry's voice from the mirror laying on her nightstand. Elizabeth sighed and picked it up the mirror, pulling the curtains around her bed and holding it up. Harry was staring back at her from the glass, looking worried.

"I...I figured out how the diary works," he said, "And...It's Hagrid. Hagrid was the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets last time."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

_**Chapter Fourteen:**_

Elizabeth nearly dropped the mirror in shock, staring at Harry with wide eyes.

"Hagrid?" she asked weakly, "How are you sure? How did you work out that diary?"

"I spilt ink over my books today, and I noticed that there wasn't any ink on it. I tried writing in it, and it wrote back—"

"And it told you Hagrid opened the Chamber?" Elizabeth kept her voice quiet, so she could hear when her roommates came in. She couldn't believe it. Not Hagrid. Not their friend...

"I'm wondering if Riddle might have got the wrong person," Hermione's voice came from out of sight, "Harry said the diary showed him a memory, but what's to say that Hagrid's creature was the one attacking students?"

"How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron's voice came next.

"But..." Elizabeth said slowly, "Riddle got the award, and we think it was for stopping the attacks, right? And they had to have stopped or else the school would have closed..."

"I can't blame Riddle, really..." Harry said, "I mean, they were going to lose Hogwarts. He was going to be sent back to a Muggle orphanage..."

Elizabeth fell quiet, watching Harry on the glass. She knew if he had the chance, he'd find some way not to go back to his own aunt and uncle...

"Maybe we should go talk to Hagrid," Elizabeth whispered.

"That'd be a cheerful visit," Ron said sarcastically, "'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the caste lately?'"

"That's not what I was meaning," Elizabeth said, "I meant go and talk to him about last time. Get his side of the story..."

"We don't have to let him know we know about this," Harry said, "I mean, there hasn't been an attack in a while. So let's not bring it up unless another attack happens."

They all agreed, and Elizabeth told them she had to go because the girls were coming on to bed. Elizabeth put away the mirror before curling up to get some sleep.

It turned out, however, as the months rolled on that it seemed they wouldn't have to talk to Hagrid. As April approached, there had still been no sign of another attack. Besides, Elizabeth had something more important to worry about. They had to pick out new classes to be taking the following year. She'd been receiving letters from her mother, aunt, and Xavier for advice, and had Lewis trying to talk to her too. Even Tobias was giving her advice—Elizabeth had been talking to him a lot more over the past few months, slowly getting to know him better. It was really nice, finally talking to him more without embarrassing herself.

When the day finally came to pick classes, Elizabeth was in the common room with her fellow second-years, all of them sitting around a table, going over the lists.

"Does anyone know if Ancient Runes is a complicated subject?" Sally-Anne asked, going over the list.

"I hear it's a nightmare," Susan said, "My auntie took it and she regretted it."

"What about Divination?" Wayne asked, "People say it's hogwash a lot...But Arithmancy sounds complicated..."

"I'm going to take Divination, so let's hope it's not hogwash," Elizabeth said. It was the only class she knew she was going to take. Lewis had told her it was a weak subject, that it was full of nonsense, but Elizabeth wasn't so sure. She kept thinking about the feelings of dread she'd had the past year, before finding the words on the wall...Before Justin was attacked...And the same thing had happened to her the day they had decided to go after the Philosopher's Stone. She doubted she was a Seer, they were extremely rare, but maybe Divination could help her out. Learn a bit more about seeing signs and knowing what was coming...

"I'll take Divination with you," Hannah said, marking her paper.

"Why don't we all sign up for it?" Megan asked, "That way if it's bad, we'll at least all be together."

Elizabeth thought the idea was stupid, but they all agreed anyway. Besides, not many people knew what classes they wanted to take. Divination filled in a slot they needed.

"I'm thinking of taking Muggle Studies," Ernie said, "It can always be helpful knowing more about them..."

"Then we can finally understand what Sally-Anne and Justin keep—"

Susan's voice faltered at that, and she stared at the empty chair at their table. Silence fell over the group as they all glanced around at each other. Moments like this, when they'd almost forgotten about the attacks, and it snuck back up on them that Justin wasn't there...That was hard.

"Professor Sprout says the Mandrakes are nearly matured," Oliver said, "We'll have Justin back before you know it."

"Then he'll get to have fun catching up on half a year of work," Rodger said, "And pick out classes for next year."

That cheered everyone up a little, and Elizabeth looked down at her paper, deciding to sign up for Muggle Studies herself. Divination and Muggle Studies. That should be a nice work load, shouldn't it? She wasn't really interested enough in magical creatures to take a class on it, and she really didn't want to try and take Arithmancy or Ancient Runes. She'd heard nightmare stories about those classes.

**xxxxx**

Elizabeth was relieved Lewis was on the Quidditch team. He was practicing almost constantly after classes before dinner, which meant he wasn't following Elizabeth around or keeping an eye on her constantly. Elizabeth was grateful for that in both it gave her an opportunity to hang out with Tobias without being spied on, and let her spend time with Harry, Ron, and Hermione without being watched. Or, more Ron and Hermione. Harry was practicing Quidditch himself, as the Quidditch match final was Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor. This led to plenty of playful arguments between Elizabeth and Ron over whose team was better.

The night before the match, Elizabeth had just finished talking with Tobias and was starting for her room to work on homework alone when she heard Harry's voice in her mirror. Elizabeth ducked into the circular room leading to the dormitories, pulling the mirror out.

"Someone broke into our room," Harry whispered, "Riddle's diary is gone."

"Someone stole the diary?" Elizabeth asked, her face pale, "But...Your room? Only a Gryffindor could get in there..."

"That's what's worrying me," Harry whispered, "Whoever did this tore apart the room...And the diary is the only thing missing. They knew exactly what they were looking for."

"So does this mean a _Gryffindor_ is behind this?" Elizabeth whispered, glancing up as a couple of fifth years came through, giving Elizabeth a strange look as they went on into their room.

"Or maybe someone's asked a Gryffindor to get the book for them," Ron whispered from out of sight, "Probably spread some story that Harry stole it."

"Well, it's gone now," Harry whispered, "There's not anything we can do about it..."

**xxxxx**

The news of the diary kept Elizabeth up most of the night, though she did manage to get a few hours' sleep. At least she knew she didn't have to concentrate on classes today. It was the Quidditch final, and Elizabeth was excited. Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, and their team was good. They were going to cream Gryffindor this year.

Quidditch was the only topic of discussion over breakfast, and on the way down to the pitch. Elizabeth left the others just long enough to stop by the locker room and wish Lewis and Cedric luck, then headed back up into the stands, finding a place to sit.

"Ready for a great match?"

Elizabeth looked up, grinning as Tobias took the seat next to her.

"Our team is unstoppable, we'll win," she said, "Especially with my brother as one of the Chasers."

"And we have Cedric Diggory for a Seeker," Tobias said, "Potter might have a fast broom, but he's only a second year. Cedric has talent and experience."

The two teams came out then and Elizabeth leaned forward, watching the Gryffindors taking a warmup lap, while the Hufflepuffs were grouped together on the edge of the field. She could see Lewis and Cedric with their backs to her and she grinned, excited for the match to begin.

Professor McGonagall came out onto the field, carrying a megaphone, and suddenly Elizabeth felt a quick jab of dread. Something was wrong.

"This match has been canceled," Professor McGonagall said, her voice echoing around, drowning out the boos of the crowd, "All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Elizabeth's heart was racing as she watched Professor McGonagall say something to Harry, then lead him away from the others.

"Something's wrong," Elizabeth said, "I'll catch up with you later."

Elizabeth hurried down the stand, pushing through people and reaching Professor McGonagall and Harry just at the same time as Ron came running up.

"Yes, perhaps you two'd better come too, Weasley, Miss Martin," Professor McGonagall said, looking between them. Elizabeth's feeling of dread was tightening her stomach more now.

Professor McGonagall led the three of them up through the castle, and Elizabeth glanced at the others, her stomach dropping. Where was Hermione? Wasn't she down at the match? The dread became stronger as Professor McGonagall led them up to the hospital wing.

"This will be a bit of a shock," she said gently, "There has been another attack...another _double_ attack."

Elizabeth swallowed hard as they stepped into the hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey was leaned over a Ravenclaw girl with curly hair, but past her in the next bed...Elizabeth moved closer, and froze.

It was Hermione. Elizabeth felt the horror of Justin all over again. Seeing one of her friends, lying frozen as if a statue...

"They were found near the library," Professor McGonagall said, then held out a small mirror not much bigger than the two-way the friends shared, though this one wasn't a magical one, "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them..."

"No," Elizabeth whispered as Harry and Ron shook their heads. Somehow, after months without an attack, Elizabeth had hoped it was all over...And now Hermione had been attacked.

"Wait here a moment," Professor McGonagall said, "I will go talk with someone to escort Miss Martin to the Hufflepuff common room, and I will take you, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, to the Gryffindor tower. I need to address the students there in any case."

Professor McGonagall walked off and Elizabeth looked over at the others.

"We have to talk to Hagrid," she whispered.

"There's no way we'll be able to get out of the castle, though," Ron whispered, "You know they're going to be watching things more closely now."

"We'll use my Invisibility Cloak," Harry whispered, "Tonight. We'll meet you in the entrance hall, Elizabeth. Can you hide in that closet right at the entrance until we get there?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth whispered with a nod.

**xxxxx**

Sneaking out of the common room hadn't been as hard as Elizabeth thought it would be. Everyone had gone to bed early, which Elizabeth was grateful for because every time she turned around, someone was apologizing to her because they knew she was friends with Hermione. Even Ernie had come to talk to her, telling her that he knew Harry'd never attack Hermione. So he finally believed Harry wasn't the one behind the attacks. Elizabeth thanked him, but she was too busy thinking about that night to really let it sink in.

Everyone was in bed early, however, so Elizabeth was able to slip out of the common room without running into anyone. The problem was making it down the hall to the stairs up to the entrance hall. Twice, she had to duck into an alcove because a Prefect or teacher came by. But she finally did make it to the entrance hall and ducked into a closet, though immediately regretted it.

It was dark and tight in there, and she groaned, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. She hated tight spaces...Finally, Elizabeth couldn't take it and cracked open the closet door, peering out. As long as she could see out, as long as she could see there was bigger space...As long as she didn't feel trapped...

"Elizabeth? We're here," Harry's voice came from the other side of the door and Elizabeth jumped, clamping her hand over her mouth to muffle a squeal. She came on out, closing the closet door as quietly as possible and ducked under the Invisibility Cloak when Harry lifted it for her.

"What took you so long?" Elizabeth whispered as they made it outside.

"Avoiding teachers," Ron grumbled.

"Try doing that without a cloak," Elizabeth replied.

They made their way down to Hagrid's hut, pulling off the Cloak as they did. Harry reached up, knocking on the door as he draped the Cloak over his arm. Fang started barking loudly inside and Hagrid answered a second after, crossbow in hand.

"Oh..." Hagrid looked confused to see them, lowering the crossbow, "What're you three doin' here?"

"What's that for?" Harry asked, pointing to the crossbow.

"Nothin'—nothin'—" Hagrid ushered them inside quickly, closing the door, "I've bin expectin'—doesn' matter—sit down—I'll make tea—"

Hagrid seemed a nervous wreck. He nearly broke his teapot at one point, and kept knocking things over. Elizabeth couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Hagrid?" she said softly, "You heard about Hermione?"

"Oh, I heard, all righ'," Hagrid said, his voice wavering as he looked to the windows. Almost instantly, there was a knock on the door.

Elizabeth gave her friends a panicked look, then the three rushed to the corner and Harry pulled the Invisibility Cloak over the three of them. Hagrid made sure they were out of sight before going and opening the door, revealing Dumbledore and—

"Is that the Minister for Magic?" Elizabeth whispered, her eyes widening, just to have Harry elbow her in the side. But this was definitely Cornelius Fudge. Elizabeth had seen his picture in the paper before, she recognized him both by his gray hair, and pinstriped suit and bowler hat.

"Bad business, Hagrid," Fudge said without any introduction, "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I never!" Hagrid turned to Dumbledore, "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir—"

"I want it understood, Cornelius," Dumbledore turned to the Minister, "That Hagrid has my full confidence."

"Look, Albus. Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something—the school governors have been in touch—"

"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," Dumbledore said sternly.

Elizabeth sucked in a breath as they argued. It seemed Fudge was only here to arrest Hagrid for sake of appearances, to make it seem as if he was doing something...But the idea of Hagrid being sent to Azkaban for something that he didn't do...

There was a knock on the door that made Elizabeth jump and Dumbledore went to answer it. Elizabeth's eyes widened and Harry gasped beside her. Lucius Malfoy came in the door, adjusting a long travel cloak.

"Already here, Fudge?" Mr. Malfoy said with a smile, "Good, good."

"What're you doin' here?" Hagrid roared, "Get outta my house!"

"My dear man, believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your—you call this a house?" Mr. Malfoy asked with a sneer much like the one his son used. Elizabeth clenched her hands into fists, glaring at him. "I simply called at the school and was told the headmaster was here."

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked with a politeness Elizabeth wasn't sure she could have done.

"Dreadful thin, Dumbledore but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside," Mr. Malfoy said, pulling out a long roll of parchment, "This is an Order of Suspension—you'' find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we fell you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we know what an _awful_ loss that would be to the school."

Elizabeth's glare tightened. She knew Mr. Malfoy didn't care at all about the Muggle-borns, and she was quite sure he threatened the other governors into signing—an opinion Hagrid voiced as well, quite loudly at that.

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," Mr. Malfoy said almost mockingly, "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They wouldn't like it."

Hagrid started yelling something else, but Elizabeth didn't really hear. Her mind was going to Hagrid in Azkaban. Of the Dementors, horrible creatures that guarded the prisoners...Her mother's opinions on them from the one time she went...

"If the governors want my removal, Lucius," Dumbledore said, pulling Elizabeth from her thoughts, "I shall of course step aside—However." Dumbledore's voice became more clear now, and he spoke more slowly, and Elizabeth tensed. She could swear his gaze flickered to their corner. "You will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

"Admirable sentiments," Mr. Malfoy said with a smirk, "We shall miss your—er—highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any—ah—killings."

Mr. Malfoy and Dumbledore left and Fudge started to follow, waiting at the door for Hagrid. Elizabeth held her breath as Hagrid straightened up, speaking loudly.

"If anyone wanted ter find out some _stuff_, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the _spiders_. That'll lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'."

They were out the door and Harry pulled off the cloak, turning to her friends.

"We're in trouble now," Ron whispered, "No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There will be an attack a day with him gone."

"I'm more worried about Hagrid..." Elizabeth said, "Azkaban? He doesn't deserve to be there..."

Elizabeth glanced to Fang at the door and her heart went out to him. He already wanted Hagrid back, and Elizabeth was the same. She couldn't imagine the school without him, or Dumbledore...


	15. Chapter Fifteen

_**Chapter Fifteen:**_

Dumbledore being removed from Hogwarts had an immediate effect on the school. It was as if a dark cloud was tightening around them. Everyone traveled in groups, there was barely any laughter or joking around anymore. Elizabeth didn't get any chance to spend time with Harry and Ron outside of Herbology. She was either in class or in the common room, sitting quietly with her Housemates.

She tried to keep an eye out for spiders, like in Hagrid's clue, but it was surprisingly difficult. There weren't any spiders to find. At least, not until a Herbology class a few weeks later. Elizabeth had just settled with Harry and Ron at their usual plot when Ernie came over, standing straight. Elizabeth had been trying to convince him to apologize to Harry for the past few days, and it seemed he was finally doing so. Harry accepted the apology easily and Ernie joined them at their plot to work.

"That Draco Malfoy character," Ernie started instantly, as if they'd never had any disagreements—Elizabeth always admired that about him, how easily he could drop things, "He seems very pleased about all this, doesn't he? D'you know, I think _he_ might be Slytherin's heir."

"That's very clever of you," Ron said sarcastically. Elizabeth glared over at him. Ernie was making peace, and Ron wanted to hold a grudge?

"I think Malfoy's too obvious an option," Elizabeth said, "I'd love for it to be him, but he's a coward. He'd take the credit, but he wouldn't be behind it himself."

Harry didn't seem to be listening. He was staring off towards the glass of the greenhouse and Elizabeth followed his gaze, noticing a line of spiders.

"Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest," Harry muttered and Elizabeth swallowed hard, a sense of dread starting to bubble in her stomach.

Not able to talk in class, they waited until Professor Sprout was leading them back up to the castle, where she'd be taking Gryffindors to Defense Against the Dark Arts and Hufflepuffs to Charms. Elizabeth lagged a little behind with Harry and Ron, talking about what to do next.

"We'll have to take the Invisibility Cloak again," Harry whispered, "We can take Fang with us. He's used to going into the forest with Hagrid, he might be able to help."

"Right," Ron looked nervous as he spoke, "Er—aren't there—aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?"

"There are good things in there too," Harry whispered, "The centaurs are all right, and the unicorns..."

"Let's meet up tonight," Elizabeth whispered, her stomach tightening more. She'd never been into the forest before...Not like Harry, who had a detention there last year... "Same place."

Harry and Ron nodded, and they split off as they headed into Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Elizabeth followed the Hufflepuffs on to Charms.

**xxxxx**

With nowhere to hang out, the Hufflepuff common room stayed crowded. Elizabeth hated how tight everything was, and often went to bed early to escape it. Thus, no one noticed her absence that afternoon, or the fact she slipped out of the common room into the dark hallways rather than headed for her dormitory.

Elizabeth was so relieved the Hufflepuff common room was near the entrance hall. It was a quick trip up and hiding in the same closet she hid in last time, leaving the door cracked open just enough to see out, so she didn't feel trapped in the small space. And she waited. Any time she heard someone approach, she'd close the door again, waiting with her eyes squeezed shut and her hand gripping the handle, until the footsteps faded away and she peered out again.

Finally, Elizabeth heard Harry's familiar whisper, and she slipped out, ducking under the Invisibility Cloak with her friends. Without a word, they slipped out onto the castle grounds, Elizabeth's stomach tightening more and more. She tried to ignore it. Something might happen, but they needed to do this...

They reached Hagrid's hut and Harry decided to leave the Invisibility Cloak there, giving them more room to move when they were in the forest. Elizabeth scratched Fang behind the ears before the three led him off into the dark trees, Elizabeth's heart starting to pound more as she stayed close to her friends.

Harry and Elizabeth both lit their wands and began looking around, while Ron said it probably wasn't smart for him to try with his broken wand.

"Hey, there's some spiders over here," Elizabeth called quietly, holding out her wand and watching where they disappeared just out of wandlight.

All three of them were quiet as they walked deeper into the forest Elizabeth kept close to Harry the entire time. The only noise was of bugs around them, the sound of twigs breaking their feet...None of them dared say a word, even when they noticed the spiders were leading them off the path, far deeper into the forest...

Elizabeth kept glancing around as they walked, trying to ignore the sickening twists her stomach was knotting into. She kept telling herself it didn't matter what happened, they had to do this. They had to find out what Hagrid wanted them to out here among the trees...

Fang barked loudly and the three jumped, Elizabeth letting out a squeal in fright, moving closer to Harry.

"There's something moving over there," Harry said quietly, staring off into the trees, "Listen...sounds like something big..."

"It...Is it after us?" Elizabeth asked, her voice squeaking.

"Shut up, it'll hear you."

"She already screamed!" Ron's voice was high as well, "I think it's heard already!"

Elizabeth glanced around, trembling slightly, a low rumbling noise in the distance. Like faint thunder that wouldn't end.

"What d'you think it's doing?" Harry asked.

"Probably getting ready to pounce," Ron replied, and Elizabeth let out another small squeak.

There was suddenly a blinding light and Elizabeth yelped, covering her face against the blinding light. Fang was letting out high barks form behind them. Elizabeth was blocking her eyes, trying to find what was blinding them, but could really only see a bright white light.

"Harry!" Ron yelled, sounding far too relieved for the blinding light, "It's our car!"

"What?" Harry asked in disbelieve.

"What car?" Elizabeth asked, stumbling along after Harry and Ron to a clearing. She stopped, staring at the car in the clearing in front of them. It was small and blue, and was covered in dents. A couple of windows had been busted out as well.

"It's been here all this time! Look at it. The forest's turned it wild."

"This is the car you crashed into the Whomping Willow?" Elizabeth asked, moving closer to the car as she pocketed her wand. No point in the light when the car was putting off enough for them.

"Yeah, it is," Ron said, "I wondered where it had gone!"

"We've lost the trial," Harry said nearby, "Come on, let's go and find them."

Elizabeth turned to agree, then screamed and stumbled backwards, her hand clamping over her mouth. Towering behind Harry was a massive spider, bigger than any creature Elizabeth had ever seen...

The next thing Elizabeth knew, something had her by the stomach and lifted her into the air. She screamed again, looking up in horror as she realized that another spider had come up behind her and Ron. She was wrapped in one leg while Ron in another, as the first now had Harry, and a third had lifted poor Fang.

Elizabeth struggled against her capture, but the spider's hairy leg was pinning her arms to her side. She couldn't get to her pocket to get her wand. Even if she could, she doubted she knew any spell that could get the spider to let go without risking hurting herself...Then there was what to do about the others...She was trapped. And worse, her feeling of dread was still growing in her stomach, with every step the giant spiders took...

They went into a clearing and Elizabeth let out a squeak of fear, staring around them. It seemed the three spiders that captured them weren't the only ones. There were dozens, maybe hundreds, more. Elizabeth's heart was pounding as the spider let go and she hit the ground with a soft thud. She was trembling as she scrambled closer to Harry, who looked as terrified as she felt. Ron, however, looked even worse. He looked as if he'd been Petrified. Of course, they were in a clearing full of giant spiders. He probably felt like he was in a living nightmare.

Elizabeth was feeling like she might throw up. Then she looked up and gasped. A spider, much more massive than any they've seen already, was towering over them now, eight blank eyes unseeing ahead of them. Then it did the last thing Elizabeth was expecting from a giant spider: It spoke.

"What is it?"

"Men," came a word Elizabeth barely heard through the clicks of pincers around them.

"Is it Hagrid?"

"Strangers."

"Kill them. I was sleeping..."

"We're friends of Hagrid's!" Harry yelled with much more bravery than Elizabeth could have imagined. Her heart was hammering hard in her chest, staring around them.

There was loud clicking around them and Elizabeth tried to hold herself straighter, trying to ignore her heart hammering in her chest, that feeling of dread rushing through her still...

"Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before," said the leader, Aragog from what Elizabeth understood of the others.

"He's not at Hogwarts," Elizabeth found her voice, though it was shaky and high, and she pushed herself up to her knees, "He's been taken to Azkaban. They think he's opened the Chamber of Secrets and is setting a monster lose to attack students."

"But that was years ago," Aragog said, "Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed what you are claiming now. That Hagrid opened what they call The Chamber of Secrets and set me free. That I had killed that girl in the bathroom."

"Then...Then what is the creature?" Elizabeth asked weakly, "The creature that killed the girl last time? It's...It's attacking again—"

The spiders began clicking frantically all around them and Elizabeth moved closer to Harry and Ron again.

"That thing that lives in the castle is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all overs," Aragog said, "Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast loving around the school."

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"We do not speak of it!" Aragog hissed, "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times."

Aragog was backing away now, and Elizabeth's stomach felt nearly petrified with dread, her hands trembling at her side as the spiders moving closer. On instinct, she found herself turning around, finding their path was being blocked by spiders behind them. This was not good...

"We'll just go then," Harry said loudly, backing up himself.

"Go? I think not...My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye, friend of Hagrid."

Elizabeth swallowed hard, reaching for her wand. Still, there were far too many spiders...There was no way they were going to be able to fight their way out.

Rescue came at that very moment. The flying car came roaring through the trees, letting out a loud blaring noise until it stopped right in front of Elizabeth and her friends, and the doors opened. Elizabeth laughed in relief, helping Harry get Fang into the car as Ron threw himself in the car after. As soon as all four were in, the doors slammed shut and, with a jerk, the car was off.

They sat in silence as the car rolled on. Elizabeth had never been in a car before, she'd never even been on the Knight Bus. But she was so in shock, so getting used to the dread finally disappearing...She couldn't really take anything in. Just her own relief, terror, and worry...She kept looking to Harry and Ron. Harry was trying to calm down Fang in the back, and Ron was staring, white-faced, ahead of them.

Elizabeth couldn't believe they survived. Or that they got rescued because a wild car just happened to come by...But she was just glad they were alive. They'd survived encountering giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest...

The car stopped right at the edge of the forest and they all piled out, glad to be out of the dark forest and back to open skies. Elizabeth collapsed to the ground, trying to stop shaking as she closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. She couldn't believe they got through that...

Elizabeth heard a noise and looked up to see Ron leaning over the fencing to the pumpkin patch, throwing up. She pushed herself to her feet, hurrying over to Ron, wobbling a bit on shaky legs. She reached the boy and started rubbing his back lightly, a trick her mother did often when she or Lewis had been sick. Elizabeth heard a door open and she looked up to see Harry coming out of Hagrid's cabin, the Invisibility Cloak draped over his arm.

"Follow the spiders," Ron grumbled, wiping his mouth when it seemed his stomach was empty, "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."

"He probably thought Aragog wouldn't hurt us," Elizabeth said simply, "He does that...He thinks dangerous things are far less dangerous than they are..."

"And look where it's got him!" Ron said, "A cell in Azkaban! What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?"

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets," Harry said, moving closer to them and they all got under the Cloak, "He was innocent."

"And whatever this monster is, spiders don't like it," Elizabeth said, though that didn't mean much.

They made their way back to the castle, Elizabeth glancing at the forest. She was just ready to get back in the Hufflepuff common room. She wanted to get to sleep and forget this night happened...


	16. Chapter Sixteen

_**Chapter Sixteen:**_

The next morning, as Elizabeth came into the Great Hall, she was greeted by Harry and Ron who pulled her back into the entrance ha and over near the House Points hourglasses.

"We realized something last night," Harry whispered, "Aragog said that the girl who was killed last time was found in a bathroom, right? Well, Ron and I were wondering...What if she's still there?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened at that.

"Moaning Myrtle?" she asked, "You think Moaning Myrtle is the one who was killed last time?"

"Why didn't we think of it before?" Ron asked, "She was always right there...I mean, what are the odds of a ghost of a student haunting the castle not being one who died here? How many students would have died here at Hogwarts anyway?"

"Well, there's no way we can go ask her..." Elizabeth said with a sigh, "I mean, we can barely get anywhere to talk now."

"Maybe we can sneak out again?" Harry asked, lowering his voice as a group of Ravenclaws passed, "Use the Invisibility Cloak."

"We've already sneaked out twice this week," Elizabeth whispered, "I really don't think we can risk doing it again so soon..."

Harry and Ron agreed reluctantly, but as it turned out, it seemed they didn't have to talk to Myrtle. Three days later, Professor McGonagall announced that the mandrakes were ready, and those Petrified would be cured by the next day.

It was as if a weight had been lifted off the school. Everything seemed a lot more cheerful that morning. Everyone was chatting more often as they made their way from morning classes, even though they were still being escorted by teachers. Elizabeth was walking along the corridor with her class as they were leaving History of Magic when her stomach started to churn. That familiar sense of dread that'd happened so often that year was starting to return...And Elizabeth didn't like it. Today was supposed to be good. Things were finally better...She didn't want to think about the idea of something happening.

They passed a group of Gryffindors, and Elizabeth noticed Harry and Ron among them, talking with Lockhart. Elizabeth gave them a small wave as they passed on to their Potions class, though Elizabeth couldn't concentrate at all...She ended up losing ten points from Hufflepuff when she accidentally boiled over the potion she'd been working on, which ended up ruining her robes in the process.

As the class was nearing ending, Hannah and Susan helped Elizabeth start cleaning up the mess. They were just finishing when Professor McGonagall's amplified voice echoed through the school, making Elizabeth jump.

"_All students are to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately, please._"

"What happened?" asked Padma Patil, a Ravenclaw they shared Potions with, "Has there been another attack?"

"That has yet to be determined," Professor Snape said coolly, "Just do as instructed and return to your common rooms."

Elizabeth looked over at her friends before being ushered out of the classroom.

"It has to be something major," Ernie said as they made their way to their common room, "I mean, if it was just another attack...The mandrakes are nearly ready, right? There wouldn't be this much worry over an attack. Something else happened."

Elizabeth had the sinking feeling Ernie was right, but she didn't want to say so. She didn't want to admit her stomach was tying into knots, that a familiar sense of dread was tightening over her...

"What if someone was killed?" Sally-Anne asked weakly as they descended the stairs from the entrance hall, that led down to the kitchens and Hufflepuff common room. Elizabeth's chest tightened at the thought, of Myrtle up in her bathroom, of another student ending up the same way...

"I hope not..." Rodger said next to them, "I mean, it could be good news? Maybe they're ending classes because they were able to do the mandrakes earlier than they thought, and the Petrified are going to be released. Justin will be okay."

"I don't think that's it..." Elizabeth said weakly, "Ernie...Ernie's right. Something happened."

They reached their common room and all piled in. It was mostly empty, but that was because they were the first ones there. It wasn't long before the common room began filling up around them. Elizabeth saw Tobias with his friends in one corner, and Lewis was with Cedric with the other fourth years. There was a buzz of conversations all around them, at least until Professor Sprout came in and everyone started bombarding her with questions about what happened.

"Everyone, settle down, settle down," Professor Sprout said. Elizabeth, even from her corner, could hear their Head of House's voice was strained. Something bad really had happened...Elizabeth's nerves felt like they were on haywire...

"We are preparing the Hogwarts Express to take all of you home tomorrow," Professor Sprout said, to the upstart of new questions until she waved her hand to quiet them, "Please, let me finish. Much as we don't want to, but we are closing the doors to Hogwarts. As teachers, your safety comes first, and as if recent events, we cannot assure your safety."

"But you said the mandrakes are ready!" a Prefect nearby said, "That the Petrified would be restored!"

"Yes, I know, but things have gotten worse," Professor Sprout said, "A...A student has disappeared, a first year named Ginny Weasley, and we believe she has been abducted by whoever is behind this. For the safety of everyone, we will be sending you all home tomorrow."

Elizabeth felt faint. Was this why she'd been feeling sick? Having those feelings of dread? Elizabeth pushed away from the others, going into the quiet of her dormitory, pulling the curtains around her. She heard the door open just as she pulled out the small mirror. Ron's sister had disappeared...She couldn't imagine what he was thinking.

"Elizabeth?" it was Susan, and she opened the bed curtain, sitting on the edge of Elizabeth's bed, "Are you okay?"

"Not really," Elizabeth said, shaking her head, "I just...I want to be alone right now, if that's all right?"

"Okay," Susan said softly, "If you change your mind, we're all in the common room."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, watching as Susan left, and she turned back to her mirror. It was black, so it was probably in Harry's bag...

"Harry? Ron?" she said softly.

There was a pause, then she saw Harry's face appear on the glass. His face was pale and he looked a bit sick.

"Professor Sprout just told us, the whole house," Elizabeth said softly, "Ron, I...I'm sorry..."

"She knew something," Ron's voice came weakly from off to the side, "She found out something about the Chamber of Secrets and tried to tell us this morning at breakfast. That must be why she was..."

"She...She could still be alive," Elizabeth said softly, "Just because she's been captured, doesn't mean she's dead. I'm sure the teachers have a plan to get her back."

"Lockhart," Ron said, and Harry looked off to the side, "He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him what we know. Where we think it is, and about the basilisk."

"What?" Elizabeth asked, "What are you talking about?"

"We visited Hermione earlier, right before this happened," Harry said, looking back to Elizabeth, "She had this piece of paper wedged in her hand. It was a book page on a basilisk. This giant snake that can kill by sight—"

"But no one's been killed," Elizabeth pointed out, her head swimming. When did they see Hermione? She'd passed them in the hallway just a couple hours before...

"We don't think they ever saw the basilisk directly," Harry said, "Except maybe Sir Nicholas, but he was already dead...But Hermione had also written 'pipes' on the paper. We think the basilisk has been getting around through the plumbing. That it's the voice I've been hearing around the castle...We got thinking. If it's moving through the pipes, the Chamber entrance might be in Myrtle's bathroom."

"We should go tell Lockhart," Elizabeth said, looking at her curtains blocking her view of her doors, "I'll meet you at his office."

She wasn't too sure why she was going. It was one of those gut feelings again...But she put aside her mirror, laying it on her nightstand and she got up, heading back into the common room. Everyone seemed in their own worlds, gathered in small groups, either sitting silently or talking in hushed whispers. Elizabeth glanced form those in her year, to Lewis and Cedric, and to Tobias. None of them were looking her way, and she was able to slip from the common room without any eyes following her.

The corridors were eerily quiet as Elizabeth made her way through the castle. She didn't even run into Prefects or teachers...But she did eventually reach Professor Lockhart's office, to find the door open and voices inside.

"So you've just been taking credit for what a load of other people have done?" Harry asked angrily.

Elizabeth moved closer to the door, and saw Lockhart, his hair a mess and trunk open behind him, mostly packed. Ron and Harry were in front of her, their backs to her as they were facing Lockhart.

"Harry, Harry," Lockhart said slowly, "It's not as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charms. No, it's been a lot of work, Harry. It's not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard slog."

"You coward!" Elizabeth cried, moving on into the room. Harry and Ron spun around to her, and Lockhart pulled out his wand. Elizabeth was faster, pulling out her own wand and crying "_Expelliarmus_!"

Lockhart's wand flew from his hand, landing behind Elizabeth as she moved closer, her wand aimed at her teacher.

"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," Harry said sharply, aiming his own wand at Lockhart.

"What d'you want me to do?" Lockhart asked, taking a step back, "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."

"You're in luck," Harry said lowly, 'We think _we_ know where it is. _And_ what's inside it. Let's go."

Elizabeth close to Harry and Ron, keeping her wand aimed at Lockhart's back as they walked. She couldn't believe Lockhart. She always knew he was incompetent as a teacher, but she had at least thought he'd actually done what he'd said he did in his books. To find out he'd stolen those achievements from others, and the way he was constantly bragging about them...Lockhart was despicable.

They soon reached the corridor where that red writing was, and Elizabeth noticed there was a new message reading "Her Skeleton Will Lie in the Chamber Forever". Elizabeth's stomach tightened at that, trying to ignore that dread that was still bubbling in her. They hurried on into the bathroom, where they found Moaning Myrtle in one of the stalls, floating above a toilet.

"Oh, it's you," Myrtle said when she noticed them, "What do you want this time?"

"To ask you how you died," Harry said.

Myrtle straightened up at that, a grin forming across her transparent face.

"Oooh, it was dreadful," she said, in a tone as if talking about a favorite book, "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a _boy_ speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then—I _died_."

"Just like that?" Elizabeth asked curiously, "Did you see who it was?"

"No," Myrtle said, shaking her head, speaking softly and dramatically, "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away..." Myrtle's gaze went to Harry. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."

"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" Harry asked.

Myrtle pointed them towards the sink directly across from her stall. Harry and Ron went over to it, but Elizabeth stayed back, keeping her wand pointed at Lockhart. He was looking as if he might run off at any moment.

"That tap's never worked," Myrtle said, and Elizabeth glanced to where Ron and Harry were studying the sink closely.

"There's some kind of snake carving on here," Ron said slowly, then looked to Harry, "Say something in Parseltongue."

Harry nodded, looking back to the sink. It took him a few tries, but finally, he spoke in those cold, hisses. Suddenly, Elizabeth was completely distracted from Lockhart. She stared, her eyes widening, as the tap began to give an almost blinding glow, spinning quickly. Slowly, the sink itself began to sink into the floor, leaving a large, angular opening like a mouth down into the castle.

All at once, the dread building in Elizabeth grew stronger. To the point she was feeling sick. She looked over at Harry and Ron, feeling herself trembling.

"I'm going down there," Harry said simply.

"We're going with you," Ron replied and they glanced at Lockhart, wo was now near the bathroom door, as if he were about to leave. Elizabeth, Harry, and Ron all aimed their wands at him.

"You can go first," Ron said sharply.

"What good will it do?" Lockhart asked as they corralled him to the opening, "I really don't think—"

He didn't get a chance to finish. Ron had shoved him down into the pipe. Harry looked to the others, then climbed in and followed, Ron right behind. Elizabeth slowly stepped closer, staring down into the opening. It was quite narrow...And that dread in Elizabeth was churning her stomach...Maybe she shouldn't go. She should turn and go straight back to her common room...Go get Professor Sprout...

Then, Elizabeth thought of Ginny down there, alone. Of how maybe there wouldn't be enough time to go get a teacher...If she ran off, she wouldn't be any better than Lockhart. Running away, letting someone else solve the problem...Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth slid into the pipe, squeezed her eyes shut, and let go.

Elizabeth kept her eyes tight shut, trying to pretend she wasn't going down a long, narrow, black slide. It wasn't something closing in on her. It was just a long slide into what would hopefully be a wide, open room under the castle...

After what felt like an eternity, the slide leveled out and Elizabeth went shooting out, hitting the ground with a yelp. As she pushed herself to her knees, she saw a faint light nearby and saw Harry standing with hand in hand. Elizabeth stood up, lighting her own wand and looking around. It was hard to tell how big the room was they were in, which was fine by Elizabeth. She could pretend it was bigger, even as it felt like the darkness was closing in on her...Her heart was hammering in her chest and she was finding herself gulping for breath, trying to keep herself calm.

"How deep do you think we are?" Elizabeth asked softly, and felt relieved as she heard her voice echoing. That meant the room they were in was quite large.

"Miles under the school, at least," Harry answered.

"Probably under the lake, too," Ron added.

Elizabeth exchanged a look with her friends before starting down the room, making Lockhart walk ahead of them. The only noise was that of cracking animal bones under their feet as they walked. Elizabeth kept close to Harry the entire time.

"Remember, any sign of movement, close your eyes right away," Harry whispered.

"Harry—there's something up there," Ron said suddenly after a long walk, and they approached a bend in the tunnel. Elizabeth held her breath, raising her wand and noticed the shadow of something quite large and narrow ahead of them.

"Maybe it's asleep," Harry whispered. Lockhart was behind them his hands over his eyes and Elizabeth had to admit, for the first time, Lockhart had the right idea. If there was a basilisk around the corner, they didn't want to go walking right up on it.

But they had come this way to rescue Ginny. They were going to have to get past a basilisk to do it...

They edged forward slowly. Greeting them wasn't a basilisk, but a massive shedded skin of one, over twenty feet long. Elizabeth swallowed hard, terror gripping her at the thought of the living creature that had to shed this skin...

Behind them, Lockhart collapsed to the ground. Ron moved closer, aiming his wand at him. Almost instantly, Lockhart jumped up, tackling Ron. Elizabeth shrieked as Harry started forward, but it was too late. Lockhart had Ron's wand and was aiming it at them.

"The adventure ends here!" he said triumphantly, "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body—say good-bye to your memories!" Lockhart laughed, raising Ron's wand, "_Obliviate_!"

There was a loud explosion, and the room shook. Elizabeth felt someone grab her arm, yanking her out of the way as the ceiling began to collapse right where she'd been standing.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

_**Chapter Seventeen:**_

Elizabeth held her wand up, the light falling over the rocks in front of her and Ron. Her heart was racing more, panic overriding the dread in her. Harry was on the other side of those rocks...Alone...What if he wasn't even alive anymore?

"Ron? Elizabeth?"

"Oh thank Merlin," Elizabeth sighed in relief as Harry's muffled voice came from the other side of the rocks, then louder, "We're here! We're okay!"

"This git's not though!" Ron called, picking up his wand next to where Lockhart was sprawled on the ground nearby, "He got blasted by the wand—" Ron gave Lockhart a swift kick and Elizabeth rolled her eyes. He did deserve it, at least.

"What're we going to do?" Elizabeth called, her heart pounding, "This rock...We're not going to be able to get through this, and Ginny..."

There was a long pause as Elizabeth trailed off. She looked to Ron, who was pale in the light of her wand.

"Wait here," Harry called from the other side of the rubble, "Wait with Lockhart. I'll go on...If I'm not back in an hour..."

Elizabeth swallowed at that. She didn't like the sound of that...Again, she looked over at Ron.

"We'll try and shift some of this rock," Ron called, his voice shaking, "So you can—can get back through. And, Harry—"

"See you in a bit," Harry cut in.

"Harry, be careful!" Elizabeth called, "Please...Please be careful."

"I'll be back, with Ginny," Harry called, and then there was nothing.

Elizabeth stood there, gripping her wand tightly in her hand, trembling slightly. Dread was bubbling more in her stomach.

"Goodness, who are you two?"

Elizabeth jumped and spun around. Lockhart had sat up behind them and was looking around with an odd expression. It was as if he were in a grand ballroom instead of a dark, damp cavern under the school.

"Um, Professor Lockhart?" Elizabeth asked cautiously, "Are you okay?"

"Lockhart? Who's he?"

Elizabeth looked over at Ron, who looked oddly amused.

"Seems like his spell backfired on him," he said, "He tried to erase our memories, and ended up erasing his own!"

"Serves him right," Elizabeth said, watching as Lockhart picked at a few of the bones on the ground, "What do we do He's not really going to be much help like this..."

"How about I get him to wait by the pipe?" Ron asked, "That'll get him out of our way. He'll only slow us down."

Elizabeth nodded slowly, watching Ron lead Lockhart away and she turned, starting to dig through the rocks. Ron returned shortly later, joining Elizabeth in her work.

"Do you think Harry's okay?" Ron asked slowly. Elizabeth paused, thinking of the dread that'd been sitting in her stomach all day...

"I...I don't know," Elizabeth said softly, "Do you believe in fortune telling?"

"Of course," Ron said, "My uncle saw a grim, he died the next day."

"Not really what I was meaning," Elizabeth said, "I mean, that it can actually exist? That someone can have The Sight?"

"Seers exist, Elizabeth. Dad says there's a place in the Ministry full of Prophecies."

"I know that," Elizabeth said softly, shifting away rocks. Talking was helping. Helping her ignore her dread. "Seers do exist. But they're really rare, they go into trances, or have dreams...I'm not talking about Seers. I'm talking about The Sight. People who can be open to it without being a Seer."

"I guess it's possible," Ron said slowly, "I mean, if not, they wouldn't offer Divination as a subject here, right?"

"Yeah, you're right," Elizabeth said with a nod. So maybe that was what her feelings were...Maybe she was just a bit more open to The Sight than others. After all, a lot of people talked about 'gut instincts'. Even her mother talked about them, having them when treating a patient, or somehow knowing when she was going to have a good or bad day at work...

So that's all hers had to be. Gut feelings. Maybe that's all it was. Elizabeth grinned a little, glad she finally had a reasoning behind this as she and Ron worked. Even with the dread still worming at her, a little voice in the back of her mind telling her something was wrong. She couldn't help but remind herself a lot was wrong.

Harry was trapped on the other side of the rocks. Ginny was captured in the Chamber of Secrets. There was a basilisk roaming around somewhere. Ron's wand was busted. Elizabeth was horrible at dueling. And the only adult close enough to do anything was sitting down the hall with no memory of who he was or what magic even was, let alone how to use it.

"We're really making progress," Ron said, after what felt like over an hour of shifting rocks. Elizabeth's arms were hurting. She was sweating and felt weak. But there was a good sized hole in the center now. They could easily squeeze through if they needed to.

"Should one of us go through and check?" Elizabeth asked, staring at that hole and hoping she didn't have to. She was uncomfortable enough, fighting enough not to think about being under the school...

"I will," Ron said, bracing himself as he moved to get into the hole they created. He'd barely moved up, however, when he suddenly let out a cry of joy, "Ginny!"

"She's alive?" Elizabeth asked excitedly as Ron pulled back and she moved forward to help Ron get Ginny through the hole, and Harry came through right behind. Elizabeth laughed in relief and hugged them both, ignoring the grime on Harry.

"You're okay, both of you!" Elizabeth said with a bright grin, "What happened?"

"Where'd that bird come from?" Ron asked suddenly. Elizabeth looked up to see a large, scarlet streak come through the hole.

"He's Dumbledore's," Harry said.

"How come you've got a sword?" Ron asked. Again, Elizabeth turned and just noticed Harry carrying something long and silver at his side and her eyes widened.

"I'll explain when we get out of here," Harry said, looking to Ginny, whom Elizabeth just noticed was crying. She moved over, putting an arm around the girl.

"Where's Lockhart?" Harry asked, looking around.

"Waiting by the pipe," Elizabeth said, "Ron's wand backfired on him. He's lost his memory."

They made their way back to the pipe, the red bird flying ahead of them and emitting a soft, golden glow. They soon were back at the pipe, where Lockhart was waiting. When their teacher noticed them, he grinned brightly at them.

"Hello. Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"

"No," Ron said, looking over at the others. Harry shrugged and went over to the pipe.

"Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" Harry asked.

"Probably have to climb somehow," Elizabeth said, moving closer, though she wasn't looking forward to getting up through the tight space, "I mean, they'd have to have some way to get out after getting in, right?"

As it turned out, they wouldn't have to climb. Harry explained that Dumbledore's bird was a phoenix, named Fawkes, and could carry heavy loads, so the bird was able to fly them up through the pipe and back into Myrtle's bathroom.

Elizabeth was glad to be back up in the open castle. So much so, she didn't really think much about following Fawkes on through the castle. Ginny kept crying through the entire walk and Elizabeth kept an arm around her. It didn't take long at all before they were outside a familiar office and Elizabeth swallowed hard, looking at her friends.

Fawkes had taken them to Professor McGonagall.

They didn't really have much choice, so Harry knocked on the door before heading in. Elizabeth followed, and stood in the doorway in surprise. Professor McGonagall was there, and so were Ron's parents. But that wasn't what surprised Elizabeth. It was the fact that Dumbledore was there. Fawkes flew past them, landing on their headmaster's shoulder. At the same time, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had rushed forward, pulling Ginny into a tight group hug and looking to Harry, Ron, and Elizabeth.

"You saved her!" Mrs. Weasley came over, hugging all three of them, much to Elizabeth's surprise, "You saved her! _How_ did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," Professor McGonagall said in a quiet voice nearby, her hands clutched to her chest.

Elizabeth looked over at Harry, and he stepped forward, putting the sword on Professor McGonagall's desk. She also noticed that, somehow, Harry had the Sorting Hat, and a ruined book. Slowly, he began explaining everything that had happened that year. How he had been hearing a voice in the school, that they later realized was a basilisk. Visiting Aragog in the forest. What they had learned from Riddle's diary, and figured out Myrtle was the one who'd died the last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened. That the Chamber could be in her bathroom. Elizabeth noticed, however, that Harry didn't mention anything about the Polyjuice Potion. Or Riddle's dairy, despite the fact it was laying there on the desk in front of them.

Then his story went to the part Elizabeth didn't know. Harry explained how he got further into the chamber, how he came across the basilisk. Elizabeth felt faint at that part, covering her mouth with her hands and staring at Harry as he explained Fawkes' arrival. How the phoenix had given him the Sorting Hat, from which he'd gotten the sword now on the desk. How he'd used the sword to kill the basilisk. Elizabeth just stared at Harry in shock. Relief and disbelief both mixing together. He'd really done all of that? He'd really killed a basilisk? And survived?

"What interests _me_ most," Dumbledore spoke when Harry trailed off with his story. "Is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently hiding in the forests of Albania."

Elizabeth froze, her eyes widening again as she looked to Harry. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named...Here? He was involved in all of this?

"It was this diary," Harry rushed, pointing to Riddle's destroyed book, "Riddle wrote in it when he was sixteen."

What did Tom Riddle have to do with any of this? Elizabeth looked back to the book and shook her head. What was going on?

"Very few people knew that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle," Dumbledore said and Elizabeth suddenly felt sick, staring at the diary. She'd held an object that belonged to someone so vile?

"I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts," Dumbledore went on, "He disappeared after leaving the school...Traveled far and wide...Sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected him with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."

Elizabeth couldn't wrap her head around it. Somehow, all her life, she never thought of the idea that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had gone to Hogwarts. She always assumed he'd attended Durmstrang. That school was known for the Dark Arts, after all...But to think it'd been this school he attended...That his name was on trophies in the trophy room...

"What's our Ginny got to do with—with—_him_?" Mrs. Weasley asked faintly.

"His d-diary!" Ginny spoke up for the first time, her voice high, "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year—"

"_Ginny_!" Mr. Weasley said, his eyes wide, "Haven't I taught you _anything_? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for _itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain_. Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was _clearly_ full of Dark Magic—"

Why hadn't they thought of that? Elizabeth swallowed, glancing towards Harry and Ron. They'd been so wrapped up in the idea that the diary could give them information about the Chamber of Secrets, they didn't stop to think about the magic involved in the diary...

"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing straight away," Dumbledore said, "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort."

Elizabeth gave a small wince at the name as Dumbledore went to the door, opening it for the Weasleys. Though she couldn't help but feel relieved. Ginny wasn't going to get into any trouble...

"Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," Dumbledore grinned at them, "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice—I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."

Elizabeth suddenly felt lighter than she had in weeks, finding herself grinning. Everyone was going to be fine. Justin would be back in the Hufflepuff common room soon...Hermione was going to be okay...

The Weasleys left, shortly after so did Professor McGonagall, who was sent to the kitchens to tell the house elves to prepare a feast. Dumbledore then, turned towards Harry, Elizabeth, and Ron standing to the side and Elizabeth's short-felt relief faded. Were they going to get into trouble? They had broken dozens of rules in the past few hours...

"I seem to remember telling you two that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," Dumbledore said, looking between Ron and Harry, before glancing to Elizabeth, "And in any other situation, you would be joining them, Miss Martin."

Elizabeth stared in horror. They were going to be expelled? After what they did?

"Which goes to show that sometimes extraordinary events demand exceptions," Dumbledore said with a smile, "You will each receive Special Awards for Services to the School and—let me see—yes, I think two hundred points to both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff."

Elizabeth gripped Harry's arm as her legs went weak under her, and she was grinning brightly. They weren't being expelled. They were getting out of this, not only out of trouble, but being rewarded.

Everything that happened next was a blur of activity. From explaining how Lockhart had lost his memory, to Elizabeth and Ron ushering the man to the hospital wing, to the feast beginning. Elizabeth found herself relieved that no one seemed to know she and her friends had anything to do with what happened in the Chamber of Secrets. As far as they knew, the threat was now stopped and everyone was going to be back to normal soon. Mrs. Weasley, still thanking them for saving Ginny's life, had used some spell to remove the grime from their robes and Madam Pomfrey had shooed them out, not allowing them to stay for their friends to be healed by the Mandrakes.

So Elizabeth sat in the middle of her fellow first years, enjoying the midnight feast, laughing and cheering with everyone else. When Justin had arrived, Elizabeth was the first to hug him, and went with him to the Gryffindor table so he could apologize to Harry. This also gave Elizabeth the opportunity to hug Hermione as well, who was grinning brightly and congratulating them for figuring out her message.

The feast lasted until dawn, and Elizabeth wasn't sure what was better. Justin being back, all of them gathered around him and telling him everything that had happened. Dumbledore announcing that Lockhart would not be returning to teach the next year. Or Professor McGonagall informing them exams were cancelled. Ernie went an odd shade of white at that and muttered something about 'all that studying for nothing'.

The only downfall over the next few days was that Lewis seemed skeptical. He kept following Elizabeth around, starting conversations and hinting strongly he knew she'd had something to do with what happened and he expected her to tell him. Elizabeth kept her mouth shut, however. She'd already spent all of the last summer grounded. She wasn't about to go through that again if she could help it.

Finally, the day came that it was time to return home. Elizabeth stood in her room, looking around to make sure everything was packed and that Cream was secure in her carrier.

"I don't think this is a year anyone is going to forget," Sally-Anne said, folding up her robes and placing them in her own trunk.

"I know I won't be able to," Hannah said, "And I'm not even Muggle-born. I don't know how you stayed sane this year, Sally-Anne."

"I tried to ignore it," Sally-Anne admitted.

"Well, it's all over now," Susan said, "Whatever that monster was, it's gone. Justin and the others are back to normal. And Hogwarts isn't closing."

"That's the best news of all," Megan said, grinning brightly, "I can't imagine not learning here."

"Or sharing a room with you girls for nine months," Sally-Anne added.

"Don't turn this into a sap fest," Megan groaned, which Sally-Anne replied to by throwing a pillow at her.

Elizabeth laughed, shaking her head as she closed her trunk. She was going to miss this room, and her friends, but she was eager to be home again...And that's where she was going, as she headed out the door with Cream in the carrier in her arms. She was going home.


End file.
